BJP targets CM Siddaramaiah over KSTDC promoting Wayanad
Bengaluru(PTI): 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."
Reacting to this, 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 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 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'.
ನಮ್ಮ KSTDC ಇರುವುದು ಕರ್ನಾಟಕಕ್ಕೋ, ಕೇರಳಕ್ಕೋ ತಿಳಿಯುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ!
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) October 29, 2025
ಸಿಎಂ @siddaramaiah ಮತ್ತು ಸಚಿವ @HKPatilINC ಅವರೇ, ನಮ್ಮ ಚಿಕ್ಕಮಗಳೂರು, ಕೊಡಗು, ಉತ್ತರ ಕನ್ನಡ, ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗ ಕಾಣಲಿಲ್ಲವೇ? ನಿಮ್ಮ ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕಾ ಗಾಂಧಿಯನ್ನು ಮೆಚ್ಚಿಸಲು ನಮ್ಮ ಕರುನಾಡನ್ನೇ ಕಡೆಗಣಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದೀರಾ?
ವಯನಾಡಿನ ಜನರಿಗೆ ಮನೆ, ಆನೆ ದಾಳಿಯಿಂದ… pic.twitter.com/ZPe5KHCsOf
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Businessman lured by FB friend, attacked for extortion in K'taka; 4 held
Madikeri (Karnataka) (PTI): Four people were arrested for allegedly assaulting, illegally confining and attempting to extort money from a 39-year-old businessman who was lured through a honeytrap set up on social media, police said on Monday.
The accused have been identified as Rachana, Malati, Darshan and Ravi.
Police said efforts are underway to nab the remaining suspects involved in the incident, which occurred on December 12 in Madikeri, the district headquarters of Kodagu.
According to the complaint, the victim, a resident of Maddur taluk in Mandya district, was befriended by a woman identified as Rachana through Facebook, who later sought financial assistance and received Rs 5,000 from him via PhonePe on November 28.
When he asked her to return the money, the woman allegedly asked him to travel to Mysuru or Kushalnagar, promising to meet him.
The police said the woman later called the victim to Madikeri on December 12 and took him to a house near the market area, where they spent some time and consumed alcohol in the evening.
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Later that night, citing an emergency, the woman left the house. After her departure, three men allegedly broke into the house and attacked the victim, assaulting him with a stick and the handle of a sword, causing injuries to his face, mouth, chest and leg, the FIR stated.
The complainant alleged that he was forcibly confined, stripped and a nude video of him was recorded. The accused also allegedly threatened him with a toy gun, demanding Rs 50 lakh and warning that the video would be uploaded on social media if the money was not paid.
Police said the victim was held captive and somehow managed to escape in the early hours of December 13. However, after he escaped, the accused allegedly attempted to kidnap him in an autorickshaw, an incident that was captured on CCTV cameras.
Based on his complaint at the Madikeri Town police station, a case was registered under Sections 310(2) (dacoity), 127(2) (wrongful confinement), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a senior police officer said.
“Four accused, including two women, have been arrested. Efforts are on to nab two more absconding accused. Further investigation is on,” he added.
