‘Hello, Teddy Boy’: Assam BJP Mocks Priyank Kharge As War Of Words With CM Himanta Sarma Escalates

A fierce political exchange has erupted between Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma after Sarma branded Kharge a “first-class idiot” for questioning Assam’s talent pool in semiconductor investments, reported News18.

What started as a debate on industrial policy has turned into a heated confrontation between the Congress and the BJP.

The controversy began on Monday (27 October) when Kharge alleged that semiconductor projects intended for Karnataka were being diverted to Gujarat and Assam under Central pressure.

“Why are semiconductor industries going to Assam and Gujarat when they actually want to come to Bengaluru? All the investments meant for Karnataka are being arm-twisted by the Centre,” Kharge told a news channel.

He claimed Karnataka’s skilled workforce and tech ecosystem made it the rightful destination for such projects and accused the BJP-led Centre of politicising industrial growth.

In response, Sarma slammed Kharge, calling him a “first-class idiot” and accusing him of insulting Assam’s educated youth. The Chief Minister said his government might file a case against Kharge for his “derogatory statement” and criticised the Congress for not condemning the remark.

Adding to the row, the Assam BJP mocked Kharge on X, posting, “Hello Teddy Boy, writing long essays on X doesn’t make you a semiconductor expert.” The party further taunted, “Instead of giving lectures about Assam, maybe take a good hard look at your own backyard – your district still tops the chart of poverty in South India.”

Kharge hit back on social media, saying Sarma was “whitewashing his failures” and twisting his statement. “The only thing Mr Sarma has managed to grow is his own wealth,” he wrote, alleging corruption and unemployment under the Assam CM. Kharge vowed that a Congress government in 2026 would prioritise “skilling, employability, and rebuilding public faith in governance.”

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