BJP Accuses Siddaramaiah of Diverting Funds to Wayanad, Neglecting Flood-Hit Karnataka

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sharply criticised the Congress government in Karnataka for allegedly prioritising Kerala’s Wayanad constituency over its own flood-affected districts. BJP leaders accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of diverting public funds and state tourism initiatives to benefit Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s Lok Sabha seat, Wayanad.

According to the BJP, the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) recently promoted tourism in Wayanad while neglecting several heritage and natural attractions within Karnataka. BJP national secretary CT Ravi questioned the Chief Minister’s intent, asking, “Is KSTDC meant to develop Karnataka’s tourism or campaign for Kerala? Has Wayanad suddenly become a part of our state?”

Adding to the attack, senior BJP leader R. Ashoka accused Siddaramaiah of acting as “Wayanad’s District Collector and Fund Raiser.” In a post on X, he claimed that the Congress government sanctioned ₹10 crore of Karnataka taxpayers’ money to projects in Wayanad “at lightning speed,” and even granted ₹15 lakh compensation to a family in Kerala for an elephant attack incident.

Ashoka further alleged that Siddaramaiah’s administration announced 100 houses in Wayanad after a landslide, while flood-hit families in north Karnataka were still waiting for relief. “Farmers in Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Bidar, and Belagavi continue to suffer. Their homes are destroyed, and yet the government files are gathering dust,” he stated.

The BJP accused Siddaramaiah of “high-command appeasement” to remain in favour of the Congress leadership, particularly the Gandhi family. “This is not charity — it’s political servitude. Karnataka’s welfare should come first, not Wayanad’s,” said Ashoka.

The controversy has reignited a political war of words between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka, with the latter demanding immediate relief measures for flood-affected regions and accountability for alleged misuse of public funds.