The ongoing social media battle between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Karnataka’s IT Minister Priyank Kharge has intensified, with both leaders trading barbs over their respective states’ development strategies.
In a fresh round of jabs, Kharge unleashed a pointed attack, questioning Sarma’s understanding of Karnataka’s technological dominance and firing back at the Assam CM's claims of progress.
Kharge took to Twitter, asserting Karnataka’s global standing as the 5th largest unicorn hub and home to 30% of India’s startups. He sarcastically offered to assist Sarma in building Assam’s technology ecosystem, mocking the CM’s statements about Assam's growing semiconductor industry. “Feel free to reach out if you need any assistance,” Kharge quipped.
Kharge’s taunt follows Sarma’s earlier remarks, where the Assam CM expressed gratitude for Karnataka’s recognition of Assam’s achievements. Sarma had claimed that Assam, once plagued by militancy, is now on the brink of becoming a semiconductor hub, attracting major investments and positioning itself as a rising star in India’s tech landscape.
Undeterred, Kharge raised several questions about the Assam government’s handling of key industries, accusing Sarma of neglecting the closure of Nagaon Cooperative Sugar Mill, the leasing of Assam Tea Corporation’s tea gardens, and the shutdown of paper mills in Nagaon and Cachar.
Kharge also questioned the government subsidy granted to Pride East Entertainment, a media company owns by Mr Sarma’s wife, while challenging Sarma to answer these issues before boasting about Assam’s future semiconductor industry.
“Why is protecting Karnataka’s interests seen as anti-Assam?” Kharge asked, while ridiculing the BJP's political narrative. He urged Sarma to focus on skilling Assam’s workforce and securing investments based on the state’s strengths rather than “pleasing political masters.”
Sarma fired back in Hindi, accusing Kharge and his father, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, of being unable to digest Assam’s progress. "Congress cannot stop Assam’s march towards development," Sarma declared, claiming widespread opposition to Congress' “anti-Assam stance.”
The public spat has drawn significant attention to the stark contrasts in the development models of Assam and Karnataka, as both states vie for leadership in India’s booming semiconductor and tech sectors. With no signs of a truce, the online war underscores the fierce competition between states to secure a foothold in high-tech industries, as political egos clash on the national stage.