Congress Draws Criticism in Wayanad for Luxury Camp Amid Landslide Relief Failure

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress party is facing sharp criticism in Wayanad over its failure to deliver promised housing for landslide survivors, even as it spends crores on internal events. The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) recently held its two-day state- level leadership training camp at Wayanad’s Battery Sapta Resort & Spa, the district’s largest resort after the Taj Group’s Taj Resort, where standard room rates start at 4,0000 rupees per room. Critics argue that the lavish spending is starkly at odds with the party’s unfulfilled relief commitments in the region.

The controversy comes on the heels of the party’s pledge to build homes for victims of the August 2024 landslides. Rahul Gandhi had announced 100 houses, while the Youth Congress pledged another 30. More than a year later, not a single home has been delivered. Families continue to live in relief camps, while allegations of misappropriation have emerged. Reports, suggest that nearly 4 crore rupees were collected for relief, but only 88 lakh rupees reached official accounts, exposing a significant credibility gap.

When questioned, Youth Congress leaders cited 'procedural delays,' 'land issues,' and ongoing verification of funds, while state leaders described the scandal as a 'miscommunication.' The Youth Congress president O J Janeesh admitted, 'It’s our responsibility, we will build them, but I can’t say when.' Observers have described these explanations as 'creative procrastination,' deepening public anger and perceptions of betrayal among disaster-hit communities.

The KPCC leadership camp at the opulent resort drew party members, district presidents, elected representatives, and officials. Party leaders defended the choice of venue, claiming it facilitated effective training, and KPCC general secretary K C Venugopal told the media, "We don’t have money in hand, no PRO, no support from the Centre or the state, yet we organise elections with the help of the poor. So even if people are struggling to make ends meet, we too live with that reality.'

However, the contrast between luxurious gatherings and unfulfilled relief commitments has drawn widespread criticism. The episode highlights a growing perception that the party prioritises internal optics over the urgent needs of the communities it claims to serve. For Wayanad’s landslide survivors, the betrayal is twofold: first by nature’s fury, and then by a political system that appears more focused on its own display of power than on delivering promised aid.