“Hello, Teddy Boy”: Assam BJP joins CM Sarma in fiery spat with Priyank Kharge

A war of words has intensified between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Karnataka IT Minister Priyank Kharge after the latter’s remarks questioning Assam’s talent pool and alleging that semiconductor investments were being diverted from Karnataka to Assam and Gujarat under pressure from the Centre.

Speaking to a news channel, Kharge had claimed that semiconductor companies initially interested in Bengaluru were being “arm-twisted” to set up in Gujarat and Assam.

“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 Central government,” the minister alleged.

His comments quickly drew a sharp rebuttal from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who called Kharge a “first-class idiot”, accusing him of insulting the youth of Assam.

“His statement is a direct insult to the educated and talented youth of Assam. We are considering legal action against him,” Sarma said, also criticising the Congress party for not condemning what he termed an “objectionable and arrogant remark.”

The verbal sparring escalated when Kharge hit back on social media, accusing Sarma of diverting attention from governance failures.

“My remarks were specific to how semiconductor companies were pressured to shift to Assam and Gujarat despite Karnataka’s strong engineering ecosystem. The only thing Mr. Sarma has managed to grow is his wealth. Every major scam in Assam seems to trace back to him,” Kharge wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

He further said that the BJP’s days in Assam were numbered, promising that if the Congress returned to power in 2026, it would focus on “skilling, employability, and restoring faith in governance.”

“We will build an ecosystem where talent thrives, and youth are free from corrupt governance and divisive politics of a third-rate crook,” Kharge added.

Amid the escalating spat, the Assam BJP entered the fray with a mocking response.

In a post addressed to Kharge, the party quipped:

“Hello, Teddy Boy! Writing long essays on X doesn’t make you a semiconductor expert. Maybe look at your own backyard—your district still tops the poverty charts in South India. So much for your ‘talent tank’, huh?”

The exchange has since triggered a social media storm, with political observers noting that the feud reflects growing tensions between the BJP-led Assam government and Congress leaders in southern states, as both sides battle to shape the national narrative around investment and development.