In Karnataka, a controversy has erupted after the Congress government announced that it is granting Rs 10 crore for the rehabilitation of the families affected by the last year’s landslides in Kerala’s Wayanad district.
The BJP has alleged that the CM Siddaramiah-led Karnataka government is allocating funds for Kerala’s Wayanad because Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency is the parliamentary seat of senior Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi.
The grant, which is being provided through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), will help 100 families severely affected by the landslide.
It must be recalled that a landslide caused by heavy rains in Meppadi, Wayanad district in July 2024 caused massive loss of life and property. Hundreds of families lost their homes, livelihoods and property in this disaster.
Now the Karnataka government has decided to allocate Rs 10 crore from its State Disaster Management Fund for rehabilitation work.
The Karnataka government has mentioned in its supplementary estimates for the year 2024-25 that it will provide Rs. 10 crores as a grant to the victims of the Wayanad landslide. This grant will be transferred to the Kerala government through SDRF, which will help in providing financial assistance, housing, and livelihood reconstruction to the affected families.
Attacking the Karnataka government over this move, the BJP has alleged that CM Siddaramiah has given more priority to constructing houses for the landslide victims of Wayanad constituency in neighbouring Kerala than for the poor people of Karnataka. It has been alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka is granting Rs 10 crore for Wayanad rehabilitation to please Priyanka Gandhi.
Taking to X, BJP Karnataka said, “Sell the house, be kind to Priyanka! This is a proverbial saying directed at the state Congress government. There is no money for development works in the state, no money for government employees’ salaries, no money to provide grants to MLAs’ constituencies, no money for the infrastructure of schools and colleges. But, to please its high command, the great Congress government is generously giving 10 crores to build houses for the people of Wayanad in neighboring Kerala, the constituency of MP Priyanka Vadra. CM @siddaramaiah, stop immediately the expenditure of Kannadigas’ tax money to save your chair. #CongressLootsKarnataka.”
ಮನೆಯನ್ನು ಮಾರಿ, ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕಾಗೆ ಉಪಕಾರಿ! ಇದು ರಾಜ್ಯ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಮಾಡಿದಂತಹ ಗಾದೆ ಮಾತು.
ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿನ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಕೆಲಸಗಳಿಗೆ ಹಣವಿಲ್ಲ, ಸರ್ಕಾರಿ ನೌಕರರ ಸಂಬಳಕ್ಕೆ ಹಣವಿಲ್ಲ, ಶಾಸಕರ ಕ್ಷೇತ್ರಗಳಿಗೆ ಅನುದಾನ ನೀಡಲು ಹಣವಿಲ್ಲ, ಶಾಲಾಕಾಲೇಜುಗಳ ಮೂಲಸೌಕರ್ಯಗಳಿಗೆ ಹಣವಿಲ್ಲ.
ಆದರೆ, ತನ್ನ ಹೈಕಮಾಂಡ್ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿಸಲು ಸಂಸದೆ… pic.twitter.com/DJcxx10Pan— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) August 20, 2025
Notably, in February 2024, BJP Karnataka had criticised the state government’s aid worth 15 lakh released for a man who died in an elephant attack in Wayanad. The money was released after Rahul Gandhi instructed to do so, stating the elephant that attacked the deceased man was originally from Karnataka. Rs 15 lakh then and Rs 10 crore now, it seems that Karnataka Congress government’s top priority is pleasing the Gandhi family than serving its own people.