K'taka Dy CM, Telangana CM spar over letter to Foxconn

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday engaged in a spat over a purported letter by the Congress leader to Foxconn chairman to shift Apple AirPods manufacturing unit from Hyderabad to Karnataka.

Rao Alleges Shivakumar Wrote Letter to Foxconn Chairman

Rao alleged that Shivakumar wrote to several national and international companies in Hyderabad to shift their factories to Karnataka. Shivakumar rubbished the charge saying that the letter based on which Rao made the allegation was fake. He also got an FIR registered at Vidhana Soudha police station against the creator of the fake letter.

BRS Accuses Karnataka Congress Govt of Conspiring Against Hyderabad

The Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) today accused the Karnataka Congress government, specifically Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar, of conspiring against Hyderabad. The party alleged that Shivakumar wrote a letter to the CEO of Foxconn Technology Group, Young Liu, proposing that the company relocate its Apple AirPods manufacturing unit from Hyderabad to Bengaluru.

Shivakumar Denies Writing Letter, Gets FIR Registered

Shivakumar hit back at Rao for his accusation, calling the letter fake and accusing the Telangana Chief Minister of being scared of defeat in the upcoming elections. He said that he had asked his secretary to lodge a police complaint at the Vidhana Soudha police station against the creator of the fake letter.

BRS Posts Purported Letter on Twitter

The BRS, on the other hand, posted the purported letter on Twitter, along with a green stamp of the Government of Karnataka on top of it. The letter, addressed to Young Liu, read, "On behalf of our government, I propose that you consider relocating the Apple AirPods industry, which you plan to set up in Hyderabad to ‘Bangalore’. This move holds numerous mutual benefits. Not only it will complement the Apple phone manufacturing industry, but it will also leverage the city’s transportation facilities, infrastructure, and available workforce."

Shivakumar Says Letter is Fake, Asks for Police Investigation

Shivakumar maintained that the letter was fake and that his signature had been misused. He said that the letterhead used in the fake letter was not the one currently used by MLAs in the Karnataka assembly. He also pointed out that the letter was written on a green-colored letterhead, which is not used by MLAs.

Shivakumar Says Telangana Counterpart Need Not Have to be Involved in Such a Small Matter

Lamenting the development, Shivakumar said, "Our Telangana counterpart need not have to be involved in such a small… I am very sorry for that." He added that many multinational companies have shown willingness to invest in Karnataka on their own, and that he had recently met with Toyota executives who wanted to expand their business in the state.

The spat between Shivakumar and Rao highlights the growing political rivalry between the Congress and the BRS in the run-up to the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka. The authenticity of the letter and the motives behind its creation are still being investigated by the police.