Wayanad fund-raiser, ignoring Karnataka: BJP slams Siddaramaiah over tourism promo

The Congress government in Karnataka has come under sharp attack from the BJP for allegedly promoting tourism in Wayanad, Kerala, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s Lok Sabha constituency.

BJP leaders accused the state government and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) of ignoring Karnataka’s own tourist destinations to please their party leadership.

BJP leader CT Ravi questioned whether KSTDC’s mandate was to develop tourism in Karnataka or to campaign for neighbouring states.

“The KSTDC, which is supposed to develop tourism in Karnataka, is inviting Kannadigas to Wayanad! Has Wayanad become part of Karnataka? Or has KSTDC turned into an agency of Kerala?” he asked.

BJP leader R Ashoka accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of acting like “Wayanad’s District Collector and Fund Raiser.”

In a post on X, he listed instances where the state government allegedly diverted funds and attention to Kerala.

“You signed off Rs 10 crore of Karnataka taxpayers’ money to Wayanad at lightning speed, gave Rs 15 lakh to the family of a man killed by an elephant, announced 100 houses after a landslide, and used KSTDC to promote Wayanad tourism, all to please Priyanka Gandhi,” Ashoka alleged.

He contrasted this with the condition of flood-hit areas in north Karnataka, accusing the Chief Minister of neglecting his own state.

“North Karnataka is drowning, farmers are suffering, homes are washed away, and compensation is still stuck in files and excuses,” Ashoka wrote, demanding immediate flood relief and compensation for districts such as Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Bidar, and Belagavi.

“This is not charity. This is high command appeasement to save the chair,” he said, urging Siddaramaiah to “stop looting Karnataka’s money to please the Gandhi family” and “put Karnataka first, not Wayanad first.”

Following the criticism, the Wayanad tour package was removed from the KSTDC website.

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