PM SHRI row: CPI ministers to stay away from Kerala Cabinet meet

In a significant escalation of tension within Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), the CPI, the second constituent in the ruling front, on Monday decided that its ministers will stay away from the state cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday.

The decision came after a meeting between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam in Alappuzha failed to resolve the impasse over the government’s signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre to implement the Modi government’s flagship project, Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI), in Kerala.

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Speaking to the media after his meeting with the Chief Minister ,Binoy Viswam said that the issues raised have not been resolved and that the meeting with Pinarayi Vijayan was cordial.

“We didn’t get a solution to the problems we raised, although the meeting was cordial. Our issues remain .Further decisions will be announced later,” said Binoy Viswam while addressing the media after his meeting with the Chief Minister.

After the discussion held with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Alappuzha, Binoy Viswam held a meeting with CPI ministers and state leaders. It was during this meeting that the CPI state leadership took the crucial political decision to abstain from the cabinet meeting.

The Ministers who will stay away are K Rajan, P Prasad, G R Anil and J Chinchu Rani. The CPI State Council is scheduled to meet on November 4 to discuss further course of action.

The political rift stems from the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government signing an MoU with the central government for the implementation of PM-SHRI scheme in the schools in Kerala without consulting the CPI, the second largest constituent in the front .The PM SHRI (Prime Minister Schools for Rising India) initiative seeks to upgrade schools in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.