IT minister Nara Lokesh seems to be competing with his father and AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu in making 'tall claims' and 'tall promises'.
Lokesh, who is facing Assembly elections for the first time in his political career in upcoming AP elections on April 11, by contesting from Mangalagiri constituency, has promised to develop his constituency Mangalagiri as Gachibowli, the world-class IT corridor in Hyderabad, if he is elected.
He made this promise during his first visit to Mangalagiri, after his candidature for Assembly polls was announced by TDP.
Lokesh's statement evoked laughter not only in political circles but along among student community and IT companies.
The IT industry in Gachibowli currently employs nearly 5 lakh software engineers, while Mangalagiri employs not even 1,000 people now.
Gachibowli has world's tech giants like Google, IBM, Microsoft, Infosys, SAP, TCS, Amazon, Hewlett-Packard, Sony, Toshiba, Nokia, Ericson, Texas Instruments, Ogilvy and Mather, Dell, Deloitte and what not...the list is longer.
Mangalagiri does not have even local software giants, let alone talking about global giants.
Gachibowli was not developed in five years. IT industry started expanding in Gachibowli from late 1990s.
Though, even after 20 years, Gachibowli could not beat Bangalore, which is still No.1 IT destination in India.
This is because Bangalore has 'early entry advantage' which entered into this industry in 1980s.
But no Telangana leader or party promises to make Gachibowli beat Bangalore even after Gachibowli attracting global IT giants now.
This was possible only for Lokesh who promised to develop Mangalagiri as Gachibowli in 5-years.
It requires a lot to develop IT industry in AP on par with Hyderabad. Just constructing 10-15 buildings or towers is not sufficient.
There should be supporting world-class infrastructure, world-class education institutions, international airport, star hotels, world-class hospitals, world-class entertainment and recreation centres and more than that 'cosmopolitan culture' where religion, caste, creed does not matter while Mangalagiri and surrounding areas are known to be 'casteist' where caste matters the most than anything else.
Wonder, when Lokesh or his father Naidu will realise this and stop making such tall and false promises.
