He Chose Bharat: Lokesh On Tamil Nadu Google Row

Google’s upcoming $15 billion data centre in Visakhapatnam has become a political flashpoint in Tamil Nadu. While Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently praised Vizag in an interview, political parties in Tamil Nadu are engaged in a heated blame game.

During a public exchange, AIADMK leaders accused the ruling DMK of failing to attract such major investments, pointing out that Pichai, originally from Madurai, chose Andhra Pradesh over Tamil Nadu. The remarks quickly drew reactions from both sides.

DMK representatives countered, saying several companies had already shifted operations to Andhra during Jayalalitha’s tenure. The debate highlighted ongoing political tensions over industrial investment in southern India.

Responding to the controversy, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh shared a video of the exchange on X, captioning it, “He chose Bharat,” followed by the Indian flag. Lokesh clarified that Pichai didn’t choose Andhra Pradesh specifically, but India as a whole for Google’s biggest Asian investment.