Telangana Minister for IT, Industries and Municipal Administration K.T. Rama Rao and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shiva Kumar had an interesting face-off on a social media platform on the competition between Hyderabad and Bengaluru as the country’s best city in the growth of IT sector.
It all started on March 31, when KTR, in response to a post by the founder and CEO of Khatabook/Housing highlighted bad roads, daily power cuts, poor quality water supply and unusable footpaths in India’s Silicon Valley (Bengaluru – HSR Layout/Koramangala) in spite of generating billions of dollars of taxes, suggested: “Pack your bags & move to Hyderabad! We gave better physical infrastructure & equally good social infrastructure. Our airport is 1 of the best & getting in & out of city is a breeze”.
Further, KTR added: “More importantly our Govt’s focus is on 3 I Mantra; innovation, infrastructure & inclusive growth”.
Responding to KTR’s call to start-ups and other IT firms Mr. Shiva Kumar said: KTR my friend, I accept your challenge. By the end of 2023, with Congress back in power in Karnataka, we will restore the glory of Bengaluru as India’s best city”.
In addition to Mr. Shiva Kumar, another Karnataka Congress leader Priyank Kharge joined the social media exchange stating: “Congratulations CM of Karnataka, we now have our neighbour telling start-ups to move to Hyderabad for not only a better infrastructure, but also a better social infrastructure. A few more economic jihads from your party will ensure that we neither get investments or jobs”.
Responding to Mr. Shiva Kumar on Monday, KTR accepted the former’s challenge and said: “Anna, I don’t know much about politics of Karnataka & who will win but challenge accepted. Let Hyderabad & Bengaluru compete healthily on creating jobs for our youngerster & prosperity for our great nation. Let’s focus on infra, IT & BT, not Halal & Hijab”.
Reacting to KTR’s claims on Hyderabad, few other social media platform users hit back asking him: “Show me at least one km of uninterrupted footpath. We’ll talk then”. Another person chipped saying: “Show me a place where you can eat on road just like you (KTR) did in New York”.
