Wayanad/Bengaluru: The Siddaramaiah-led Congress authorities’s disclosure about having spent Rs 10 crore on rehabilitation efforts in landslide-affected areas of Kerala, together with a supplementary demand within the Meeting for rehabilitation of 100 households from neighbouring Wayanad has triggered a political row in Karnataka.

The Opposition within the state has accused the Siddaramaiah-led authorities of spending Karnataka’s cash to shore up the Gandhi household’s political fortune in Kerala.

“… was it not you who campaigned in Delhi shouting ‘My Tax, My Proper’, insisting Karnataka’s cash should not depart the State? But right now, you divert ₹10 Cr of Kannadigas’ tax cash to Wayanad in Kerala, simply because it’s @priyankagandhi constituency…,” he wrote in a publish on X.

CM @siddaramaiah avare, was it not you who campaigned in Delhi shouting “My Tax, My Proper”, insisting Karnataka’s cash should not depart the State? But right now, you divert ₹10 Cr of Kannadigas’ tax cash to Wayanad in Kerala, simply because it’s @priyankagandhi constituency.

When our… pic.twitter.com/7vAR2PXfap

— Vijayendra Yediyurappa (@BYVijayendra) August 21, 2025

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is the Lok Sabha MP from Wayanad, the district in Kerala that borders Karnataka. The parliamentary constituency was beforehand represented by her brother Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha Chief of the Opposition who’s now the consultant of Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli within the Decrease Home.

Vijayendra additionally reiterated how the Siddaramaiah authorities had rushed to supply Rs 15 lakh to the sufferer of an elephant assault in Wayanad. 

“When our farmers reel below crop loss, when MLAs don’t even get fundamental grants to put basis stones, when faculties & schools lack infrastructure – you declare there isn’t a cash. However to please your excessive command, you generously reward crores outdoors Karnataka,” he stated.

Including, This isn’t compassion, it’s servitude … Please cease squandering our catastrophe fund to please your excessive command. Karnataka’s cash belongs to Kannadigas, to not the Gandhi household’s political fortunes.”

In February final yr, one Ajeesh Joseph Panachiyil was trampled to demise by a wild elephant in Wayanad. The 47-year-old farmer was killed by a radio-collared elephant, Belur Makhna, close to his house in Mananthavady.

The difficulty triggered a political slugfest after the Siddaramaiah-led Congress authorities in Karnataka rushed to announce a Rs 15 lakh compensation for the household because it was an ‘elephant from Karnataka’ that trampled Ajeesh. 

The tragedy that befell the household was quickly be overshadowed by the politics round it with the Opposition in Karnataka alleging that the ruling Congress was exceeding state  boundaries to adjust to the directives of Rahul Gandhi, who was then the Member of Parliament for Wayanad.

“They stated they might give the cash, however we later heard that the choice created controversy there,” Sheeba, Ajeesh’s spouse, had informed ThePrint. 

The household was assured a authorities job and Rs 10 lakh as monetary help by the Kerala authorities however solely the financial compensation has come by way of to this point. The Rs 15 lakh introduced by Karnataka was by no means paid.

Eshwar Khandre, Karnataka’s minister for forest and ecology, stated final week that no compensation was paid to anybody outdoors the state. “We’ve got not given a single paisa as anticipated gratia to the Kerala household,” Khandre stated within the Legislative Council. He was replying to a question by a member of the Opposition on the rise in cases of man-animal battle, moreover particulars of these impacted and compensation paid by the federal government.

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Additionally Learn: Siddaramaiah below hearth for supply to rehabilitate Wayanad landslide victims. ‘Karnataka or Gandhis?’

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‘Nothing referred to as Karnataka elephant or Kerala elephant’

Karnataka and Kerala have had a posh relationship over time on the subject of administration of forest areas and wildlife.

The 2 sides locked horns over the ban on night time visitors on NH-766 because it cuts by way of the ecologically delicate Bandipur reserve forest. 

Kerala has been attempting to strain Karnataka to reverse the night time visitors ban. When the Congress got here to energy in Karnataka, it was anticipated that the celebration would soften its stand on the ban as Wayanad was then represented by the ‘Gandhis’.

Within the 2024 Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll, Karnataka Deputy CM D.Ok. Shivakumar had even hinted at attainable rest of the ban to assist Priyanka Gandhi’s maiden electoral battle.

“For those who see the whole forest space, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, all three states have contiguous forests and no boundaries and the elephants, and even tigers, carry on migrating,” stated a senior Karnataka authorities official, requesting anonymity. Including, “There may be nothing referred to as Karnataka elephant or Kerala elephant.”

In response to the Wayanad incident, Karnataka launched Operation Belur Makhna, deploying 200 forest guards, vary officers, veterinarians, and 4 educated elephants. Nonetheless, the animal evaded seize and crossed again into Karnataka’s forests after almost two weeks.

In the meantime, Sheeba’s household continues to be finishing the paperwork for her promised authorities job, which stays pending.

(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)

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Additionally Learn: Defined with maps: How topography, human density led to devastation in Kerala’s Wayanad

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