Apple invested in Karnataka: Siddaramaiah's dig at Andhra amid investment row

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday (October 17) launched a sharp attack against Andhra Pradesh, amid an escalating row over Bengaluru's deteriorating infrastructure and investment prospects.

Siddaramaiah's attack comes after two states' ministers Nara Lokesh and Priyank Kharge exchanged swipes on X, and after Google opted to invest $15 billion to develop an AI hub in Visakhapatnam rather than Bengaluru.

Also Read: Bengaluru traffic woes: Nara Lokesh lures investors ‘north’, Priyank gives brutal reply

Siddaramaiah highlights Apple’s Bengaluru investment

Siddaramaiah stated, "Apple invested here... not in Andhra Pradesh." He also slammed 'deliberate' social media posts targeting Karnataka, according to an NDTV report. The Chief Minister further said, "Investors will invest where they want to..."

On Thursday, Andhra IT Minister Lokesh said, "Karnataka is feeling the burn!" after Kharge criticised Andhra Pradesh for offering “massive subsidies” to Google, calling the state’s model an “economic disaster in disguise.”

“They say Andhra food is spicy. Seems some of our investments are too. Some neighbours are already feeling the burn!” Lokesh said in a post on X.

In response, the Karnataka IT Minister said, “Everyone enjoys a bit of spice in their food, but just as nutritionists recommend a balanced diet, economists too advocate a balanced budget. Whatever said and done, we will always be: Neighbour’s envy and Owner’s pride.”

Also Read: Andhra invites BlackBuck firm after its plan to exit potholed Bengaluru ORR stretch

Tussle between Karnataka, Andhra

This row has been simmering since mid-September, when Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder of a Bengaluru-based logistics firm, complained about long commute times and the poor condition of roads leading to his office in the Bellandur area.

Lokesh responded swiftly to Yabaji’s post on X, offering Visakhapatnam (Vizag) as an alternative location. As more Bengaluru-based businesses, industry leaders and residents voiced frustration over the city’s crumbling infrastructure, Lokesh began pitching Andhra Pradesh as a viable investment destination, which drew a sharp retort from Karnataka leaders.

Kharge countered that “weaker ecosystems feed off stronger ones”, citing Bengaluru’s projected GDP growth of 8.5 per cent annually until 2035, which could make it one of the fastest-growing cities in the world.

Also Read: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw criticises Bengaluru's garbage crisis; citizens, oppn back her

Bengaluru's poor infrastructure

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw also reignited the debate over Bengaluru's infrastructure by publicly sharing the critical comments of a visiting overseas business executive on the city's roads and garbage, prompting a response from the Karnataka government.

"I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said 'Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the Govt want to support investment?" she wrote on X.

Shaw also hit out at Bengaluru’s chronic garbage crisis, calling it a “serious malaise” and criticising the inability of municipal bodies in major cities to address the issue effectively, even as Bengaluru residents and civic groups quickly rallied behind her and voiced similar concerns.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged industry leaders to stop "hurting" the city and the state that have contributed to their growth. He asked them not to forget their "roots" and requested them to be patient, stressing that "there is a limitation for everything".