Thiruvalla, April 7 (IANS) A fresh political storm has erupted in Kerala after Congress candidate and Muvattupuzha MLA, Mathew Kuzhalnadan, alleged that the devastating 2018 floods were “man-made,” triggering a fierce war of words and exposing deep fault lines within the JD(S), a key ally of the ruling LDF.
Kuzhalnadan accused former irrigation minister Mathew T. Thomas of deliberately delaying the opening of the Thottappally spillway to benefit private contractors.
He released an audio clip, purportedly featuring current power minister K. Krishnankutty, as evidence.
According to Kuzhalnadan, the delay in opening the spillway allowed a contractor, Mary Matha Construction, to protect lucrative mineral sand deposits, allegedly resulting in massive private gains while worsening flood damage in regions such as Chengannur.
Incidentally Mathew T. Thomas was caught unawares and he responded by saying that everything is crystal clear as the team from IIT Chennai had cleared everything.
“This has surfaced now as elections are round the corner. The person who raised this is one person whom the courts have come down upon heavily. These things are not going to affect me as people know me here in my constituency,” said Mathew T. Thomas.
The controversy has revived long-simmering factional tensions within the JD(S), dating back to the flood period.
In 2018, disputes during T. Thomas’s tenure as irrigation minister had escalated to such an extent that party supremo H.D. Deve Gowda intervened, replacing him with Krishnankutty.
Though Krishnankutty retained a ministerial berth in the second Pinarayi Vijayan government, he is not contesting in the current election.
However, the alleged revelations attributed to him have shaken the ruling front.
In the audio clip, Krishnankutty is purportedly heard claiming that despite requests from the Executive Engineer, the spillway was not opened for nearly a month.
He alleges that opening it would have washed away a sandbar contracted at a low rate but capable of generating windfall profits.
The recording also hints at irregularities in dam management, including water diversion decisions linked to private power projects and alleged financial kickbacks.
Responding to the allegations, Krishnankutty said that everyone knows that in today’s world everything centres around AI.
“I will consult my legal team and go forward. One person in this new revelation is one who was ousted from my office,” said Krishnankutty.
The Opposition, however, insists that the allegations raise serious questions about dam management during the floods and potential collusion between officials and private entities.
The episode has also cast a shadow over Mathew T. Thomas’s campaign in Thiruvalla, with the controversy emerging as a major electoral setback.
Political observers note that the dispute is as much about internal JD(S) rivalries as it is about flood accountability.
The sharp divisions within the party have lent weight to the controversy, even as questions over the audio’s authenticity remain unresolved.
All eyes are now on whether Krishnankutty will initiate legal proceedings to challenge the claims.
A forensic examination of the audio may become inevitable.
With elections just days away, the “man-made flood” allegation threatens to reshape the political narrative, turning a natural disaster into the centerpiece of a high stakes electoral battle.
–IANS
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