BJP targets CM Siddaramaiah over KSTDC promoting Wayanad

The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation's (KSTDC) social media post promoting Wayanad in neighbouring Kerala as a tourist destination has drawn criticism from opposition BJP, which has hit out at Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, calling it ''high command appeasement'' to save chair.

Congress top leader Priyanka Gandhi is the Member of Parliament from Wayanad.

The KSTDC's post on 'X' on October 28, promoting its two-night and three-day tour package to the hill station said, '' Seeking thrill or tranquillity? Find both in Wayanad! Trek scenic trails, chase waterfalls & meet the wild with KSTDC. Your perfect nature escape awaits.'' Tourism Minister H K Patil said he has already sought an explanation from the Managing Director of KSTDC, and based on that, he will see what is to be done.

''Why it is done, why the advertising agency has done it, let me know the details,'' he told PTI videos.

Reacting to the KSTDC post, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Assembly, R Ashoka asked Siddaramaiah as to how long will Karnataka tolerate a Chief Minister who behaves like ''Wayanad's District Collector and fund raiser''? ''You (Siddaramaiah) signed off Rs 10 crore of Karnataka taxpayers' money to Wayanad at lightning speed. You gave away Rs 15 lakhs to the family of a man killed by an elephant. You announced to build 100 houses in Wayanad after landslide. You used KSTDC, Karnataka's own tourism corporation, to promote Wayanad tourism - Priyanka Gandhi's constituency,'' he posted on 'X' on Thursday.

Pointing out that north Karnataka faced floods, he further said, farmers are suffering, homes washed away, 12.5 lakh hectares of crop damage, but compensation is still stuck in files, surveys, excuses, speeches and photo-ops.

''Where is the compensation and flood relief for Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Bidar, Vijayapura, Bagalkot and Belagavi? Where is the urgency? What are your priorities?'' He asked.

Accusing the CM of moving money to another state faster than he moved money to his own disaster-hit farmers, the BJP leader claimed, ''This is not charity. This is High command appeasement to save chair.'' ''Karnataka doesn't need a CM who bows to the Fake Gandhi Family, spends our treasury like it's High Command's ATM, and forgets his own state's farmers who put food on his table,'' he said.

''We elected a Chief Minister of Karnataka, not a Puppet of Delhi, not a Brand Ambassador of Wayanad,'' Ashoka said.

Urging the CM to release full compensation to farmers immediately, he said, ''Stop looting Karnataka's money to please the fake Gandhi family. Karnataka First. Not Wayanad First.'' Another BJP leader and former Minister C T Ravi said, the KSTDC, which is supposed to develop tourism in Karnataka, is inviting Kannadigas to Wayanad.

''Does Wayanad belong to Karnataka? Or has KSTDC become Kerala? The Congress government is going to pawn the honour of Kannada Nadu to please its party leader Priyanka Gandhi,'' he posted on 'X'.