Grievances not blackmail: Andhra Minister mocks DK Shivakumar on Bengaluru roads

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh has taken a swipe at Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s comments dismissing complaints about Bengaluru’s roads as “blackmail.”

On X, Lokesh wrote, “Here’s what sets AP apart from others – we don’t dismiss our people’s genuine grievances as ‘Blackmail’. We treat them with the dignity and seriousness they deserve.”

His post came shortly after he publicly invited Bengaluru-based logistics technology company BlackBuck to relocate to Visakhapatnam, touting it as one of India’s cleanest and safest cities.

The exchange follows a storm over Bengaluru’s infrastructure. BlackBuck co-founder Rajesh Yabaji recently announced the company would vacate its Bellandur office, citing “roads full of potholes and dust, coupled with the lowest intent to get them rectified,” though he later clarified the firm would remain in the city.

Shivakumar, responding to the criticism and to Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s “city of potholes” jibe, said the government was “least bothered about threats or blackmailing.”

He argued Bengaluru remains attractive to global firms because of its talent pool and added that Rs 1,100 crore had been earmarked for road repair. Contractors, he said, face a November deadline to fix potholes.

Lokesh seized on those remarks to pitch Visakhapatnam as an alternative for companies frustrated by Bengaluru’s civic woes. “Hi Rajesh, can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among top 5 cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infra, and have been rated the safest city for women. Please send me a DM,” he posted earlier.

Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road, a crucial IT corridor, has long suffered from traffic snarls and poor maintenance. The issue gained traction after schoolchildren’s videos of pothole-ridden streets went viral, adding pressure on the Karnataka government to show results before its November deadline.

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