The Congress government in Karnataka has drawn fire from the BJP for sanctioning a compensation of Rs 15 lakh for the kin of an elephant attack victim in Kerala since the animal strayed in from Bandipur and the incident took place in Rahul Gandhi’s Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa slammed the Congress government for its decision to pay compensation to the family of Ajeesh who was killed by a wild elephant.

“The @INCKarnataka government’s outrageous misuse of Karnataka taxpayers’ funds to curry favour with Rahul Gandhi is utterly disgraceful,” Vijayendra said in a statement.

“Illegally allocating state fund of Rs 15 lakh to a deceased individual from @RahulGandhi’s Wayanad constituency, falsely blaming an elephant from Karnataka is an appalling betrayal,” the BJP president alleged.

Karnataka forest minister Eshwar Khandre defended the decision and admitted it was based on Rahul’s suggestion. “There was a death and we are paying compensation. We don’t do politics on a loss of life,” he told reporters on Tuesday.