Guwahati, 27 Oct

A war of words erupted between Karnataka IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge and the Assam BJP unit after the former remarked that "Assam lacks talented and capable people to establish industries" when claiming that the Centre was biased towards BJP ruled states.

He was speaking on semiconductor industries being set up in Assam and Gujarat instead of in Bengaluru.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday called Priyank Kharge a "first-class idiot" and said, “He has insulted Assamese youth, and Congress has not yet condemned this. Perhaps, we might file a case against him because he has said that Assam does not have educated youth. It is an insult to the entire Assamese youth."

However, Priyank defended his statement, claiming that the BJP was “twisting” his words.

“After nearly a decade of BJP rule, Assam today ranks among the bottom five states in crucial development indicators like health, education and economic growth, as per NITI Aayog’s latest report,” he wrote on X.

“The only thing Mr. Sarma has managed to grow is his own wealth… Instead of trying to whitewash his failures by giving my statements political spin, the Chief Minister should ask himself what he’s done for the young people of his state. Why are they leaving Assam to find work elsewhere?”