A friendly contest is good for all of us: KTR on Bengaluru vs Hyderabad row

Wasn't belittling any city or state, no disrespect for anyone: KTR

Days after the row between Bengaluru and Hyderabad broke out on Twitter, Telangana IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao said that he received 'thank-you' notes from people in Bengaluru. His tweet, inviting a start-up from Bengaluru to Hyderabad, went viral earlier this year and stirred a controversy.

In an interview to DH, KTR, as the minister is popularly known, responded to the contention, saying that he was “only trying to glorify the achievements of his government—such as good infrastructure, roads, 24x7 power—and promoting Hyderabad as an investment destination.”

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“I was not attempting to belittle any city or disrespect anyone. That is not my thing. But I am told that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had sanctioned some road projects, promising more (for Bengaluru) after the tweet, ensuing discussion. I even got tweets thanking me.”

On Saturday, the Karnataka BJP reignited the Bengaluru vs Hyderabad row, taunting KTR for Telangana's second position in the NITI Aayog’s India Innovation Index 2021. Karnataka topped the chart.

“Dear KTR garu, baagunnaara meeru (how are you doing)? You know what? The world wants to invest in Karnataka! By the way, how is your “appeasement politics” going on KTR garu? Namaskara,” the party unit tweeted. Appeasement politics is an apparent reference to the TRS's affinity with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

In what was seen as an unnecessary commentary on the state of affairs and infrastructure in a neighboring state, KTR had, in March, asked Khatabook founder and CEO Ravish Naresh “to pack his bags” and come to Hyderabad, when the latter complained of bad roads, power cuts, poor quality water supply, unusable foot paths,” in “India's silicon valley.”

The Bommai government had reacted adversely to KTR's tweet saying that Bengaluru is known as an IT and start-up hub worldwide and that they would not indulge in a divisive politics, targeting other states.

KTR got himself “unwittingly” involved in a similar controversy with Andhra Pradesh government a month later, in April, when he referred to the condition of roads, power supply there. He invited the ire of the YSRCP ministers' too.

When questioned if he was rubbing the neighbors the wrong way, KTR said, “I did not name Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka. When some one tweeted about Bengaluru, I responded saying that we have better infrastructure, inviting them to Hyderabad. In AP's case, I was only referring to a feedback from a AP friend,” KTR told DH.

Referring to the Mercer's Quality of Living rankings, KTR said Hyderabad has emerged as an attractive destination, where his government is building 132 link roads to decongest arterial roads, flyovers to unclog main roads, make commute easy and also reduce carbon emissions.

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“If somebody complains about the infra in their place, I merely informed them about better facilities here. What is wrong in it? In fact I love Bengaluru, a city I have been visiting since 1990s. But of course I would love Hyderabad more.”

KTR, son of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and perceived as the next CM, maintained that he wants state governments to engage in a healthy competition for investments, jobs and growth which “would ultimately only help our nation's further development.”

“A friendly contest is good for all of us in India; why not learn from each other?”