Wayanad landslide housing: CPI(M) slams Congress over 100-day stall
Synopsis
More than 100 days after Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra laid a foundation stone for landslide survivors in Wayanad, CPI(M) claims not one house has been built — and the stone itself is reportedly missing. With Congress originally promising 230 homes but reportedly laying the stone for only 50, and questions swirling over crores in collected funds, the rehabilitation of Mundakkai-Chooralmala victims has become Kerala's sharpest political flashpoint.
Key Takeaways
CPI(M) alleged on Saturday that Congress's housing project for Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide victims in Wayanad is stalled over 100 days after the foundation stone was laid.
The foundation stone was laid on 26 February by Rahul Gandhi and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at a three-acre site in Kunnambetta, Meppadi .
Congress had promised 230 houses ; the CPI(M) alleged the foundation stone was laid for only 50 houses after nearly 1.5 years .
CPI(M) alleged no construction applications have been filed and the foundation stone itself is reportedly missing from the site.
The ruling party has demanded Congress account for the crores reportedly collected in the name of rehabilitation.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has intensified its political offensive against the Indian National Congress, alleging that a housing project promised for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad remains completely stalled more than 100 days after its foundation stone was laid. The CPI(M) claims that not a single house has come up at the site, and the controversy is deepening the political battle over disaster rehabilitation in the region.
What the CPI(M) Alleged
According to the CPI(M), at the three-acre coffee plantation purchased by Congress at Kunnambetta in Meppadi, there is no visible sign of construction activity. The party further claimed that the foundation stone itself — laid during a high-profile ceremony on 26 February — is reportedly missing from the site.
The CPI(M) alleged that apart from digging a well, no substantive work has been carried out. The temporary pavilion erected for the foundation ceremony was subsequently removed, the party said. It also alleged that Congress has not even submitted the necessary applications to begin construction.
The Foundation Ceremony and Congress's Promises
The foundation stone was laid on 26 February by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, alongside Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Congress had announced that construction of houses for disaster victims would commence shortly after the ceremony.
Congress had initially committed to building 230 houses for landslide victims — 100 houses each pledged by Rahul Gandhi and the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), and an additional 30 houses promised by the Youth Congress. However, the CPI(M) alleged that after nearly 1.5 years and significant fund collection, the foundation stone was laid for only 50 houses.
Funding Questions and Political Charges
The CPI(M) has raised pointed questions about the funds reportedly collected by Congress in the name of rehabilitation. The ruling party alleged that Congress actively campaigned against the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund while simultaneously collecting donations for its own relief effort, and has demanded a full accounting of how much was raised and how it was utilised.
It is further alleged that Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra did not personally contribute to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund. The CPI(M) also noted that the Kunnambetta site is reportedly in an area affected by the wild elephant menace, raising questions about its suitability for housing.
Congress Yet to Respond Formally
The CPI(M) characterised the foundation stone ceremony as a political exercise aimed at managing public perception ahead of the Assembly elections, rather than a genuine commitment to rebuilding. Congress has not yet issued a formal detailed response to the specific allegations regarding fund utilisation and construction timelines, according to reports.
The Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide was one of the deadliest natural disasters to strike Kerala in recent years, displacing hundreds of families and leaving the question of rehabilitation at the centre of state politics. With both the Left and Congress trading charges, the victims' long wait for permanent housing remains unresolved.
Point of View
And the missing foundation stone is a potent visual symbol of alleged inaction. But the charges deserve scrutiny on both sides: the CPI(M) governs Kerala and bears primary responsibility for state-led rehabilitation, making its criticism of Congress's parallel housing drive a deflection as much as an accountability demand. The more consequential question — how much money was collected from the public and where it went — has not been independently verified. Until Congress provides a transparent fund accounting and the CPI(M) answers for the pace of its own government's relief work, the victims of Mundakkai-Chooralmala remain pawns in an electoral contest rather than beneficiaries of either party's promises.
NationPress
5 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Congress housing project for Wayanad landslide victims?
Congress announced a project to build houses for survivors of the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide in Wayanad, with an initial promise of 230 homes. The foundation stone for 50 houses was laid at a three-acre site in Kunnambetta, Meppadi on 26 February by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Why is CPI(M) criticising Congress over the Wayanad housing project?
CPI(M) alleges that more than 100 days after the foundation stone ceremony, no construction has begun, no applications have been filed, and the foundation stone itself is reportedly missing. The party claims the ceremony was a political gesture rather than a genuine rehabilitation commitment.
How much money did Congress reportedly collect for Wayanad rehabilitation?
The CPI(M) has alleged that Congress collected crores of rupees in the name of rehabilitation for Mundakkai-Chooralmala victims, but has not provided details of how the funds were utilised. The party has demanded a full public accounting from Congress.
What was Congress's original housing promise for the landslide victims?
Congress had committed to 230 houses in total — 100 each from Rahul Gandhi and the KPCC, and 30 from the Youth Congress. However, according to CPI(M), the foundation stone was eventually laid for only 50 houses after nearly 1.5 years.
Who are the Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide victims?
The Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslide was one of Kerala's deadliest recent natural disasters, displacing hundreds of families in the Wayanad district. Rehabilitation of these victims has become a major political issue in the state, with both the ruling Left and Congress trading accusations over relief and rebuilding efforts.
