Kochi, April 8 (IANS) The controversy over Kerala’s devastating 2018 floods has erupted into a sharp political slugfest, with Mathew Kuzhalnadan and Mathew T. Thomas, both candidates contesting from different constituencies, locking horns over allegations of administrative failure and ulterior motives.

Kuzhalnadan, the Congress candidate contesting from Ernakulam district, has repeatedly alleged that the floods were “man-made”, releasing details of a meeting chaired by the Water Resources Minister to bolster his claims.

According to him, instructions were issued to remove soil near the Thottappally spillway even before the onset of rains, indicating that the government prioritised mineral sand over flood preparedness.

He further argued that, instead of focusing on disaster mitigation, the Irrigation Department was more concerned about preventing sand from being washed away during the monsoon.

Sharpening his attack, Kuzhalnadan questioned why a department tasked with dam management would be preoccupied with sand.

He also alleged that attempts to raise such issues in the Assembly were stifled, with even the threat of his microphone being switched off.

Referring to the 2018 floods, he claimed that ministerial directives emphasised safeguarding sand deposits and extracting them before the rains, suggesting a pattern of misplaced priorities.

Hitting back, former Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas dismissed the allegations as “false propaganda” orchestrated by the UDF ahead of the 2026 elections and described the charges as a “damp squib”, accusing the opposition of raising old issues due to a lack of substantive campaign themes.

Thomas, contesting from Thiruvalla, maintained that the 2018 floods were the result of exceptionally heavy rainfall, a conclusion supported by studies including those by the Indian Institute of Technology.

He noted that the Thottappally spillway was opened on July 16, 2018, well before the peak rainfall in August, and said these facts had already been placed on record in the Assembly.

Rejecting claims of any mineral sand nexus, Thomas clarified that mining permissions fall under the Industries Department, not Water Resources.

He also pointed out that the company mentioned in the allegations had denied any involvement.

Accusing Kuzhalnadan of running a last-minute smear campaign driven by electoral anxiety, Thomas said such “loose talk” would not stand scrutiny within the Assembly.

The war of words underscores how even natural disasters have become potent political ammunition, with both candidates seeking to shape public perception as the election battle intensifies

–IANS

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