CPI rebukes Kerala government for ‘unilateral’ move on PM SHRI MoU

The sharp rift within Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) appeared to grow on Friday as the Communist Party of India (CPI) — the second-largest partner in the coalition — yet again publicly criticised the CPI(M)-led government for signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Centre on the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme without consulting its allies.

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Friday accused the government of showing “unusual haste” in formalising the agreement and said neither his party nor other LDF constituents were informed in advance. “The CPI and other allies were kept completely in the dark. It is a breach of the front’s collective discipline,” Viswam told reporters after a meeting of the party secretariat in state capital Thiruvananthapuram.

“This is not the LDF way of functioning and it needs to be corrected,” he said, warning that unilateral decisions could undermine the coalition’s unity.

Viswam said the issue had never been discussed in the state Cabinet, though it had appeared twice before as part of the agenda — first in December 2024 and again in April. “On both occasions, the matter was deferred for policy-level discussion, which was the correct stand,” he said. “But after that, it disappeared from the Cabinet’s agenda altogether. There were no discussions either in the LDF meetings or in any other collective forum.”

He said the CPI was unable to understand why the government acted with such urgency. “Why this unusual haste, and for what? That is the question in everyone’s minds,” he said.

The CPI leader added that his party had spoken to its ministers and confirmed that the MoU was signed without any Cabinet approval. “We are completely unaware of the commitments made to the Centre as part of the MoU. This is not acceptable,” he said.

Calling the decision a “violation of the Front’s collective discipline”, Viswam said the CPI had formally written to the LDF convener, demanding that the coalition restore internal consultation mechanisms. “We have sent a letter to all LDF constituents pointing out this serious lapse. Decisions in a Left front must always be democratic and collective,” he said.

“The LDF way is not to surprise each other with decisions taken behind closed doors. This current style of functioning — different from our democratic and Leftist traditions — must be corrected,” he added.

Beyond procedural objections, Viswam said the CPI was also uneasy about the policy content of the PM SHRI scheme, which it fears could be a backdoor endorsement of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 — a framework the Kerala government has consistently opposed.

“In the absence of any information from the government, we examined available literature on PM SHRI and found it to be essentially a showcase for the NEP,” he said. “That is the real concern — not the name of the scheme but what it represents.”

The PM SHRI initiative, launched by the Centre in 2022, aims to develop about 14,500 schools across India as “model schools” aligned with NEP 2020, focusing on digital learning, vocational education, and experiential pedagogy. Several Opposition-ruled states, including Kerala, had initially withheld participation over apprehensions that the scheme could erode state control over education.

Viswam said the CPI still believed the Kerala government must remain cautious. “When the LDF government signs an MoU with the Union government on such a scheme, it must think twice — not once,” he said.

At the same time, the CPI leader noted that state education minister V. Sivankutty had publicly assured that Kerala would not implement the NEP. “I have faith in what he said,” Viswam added. “Let us wait and see.”

Asked whether CPI ministers might boycott cabinet meetings in protest, Viswam said the party would decide on further action after its executive committee meeting in Alappuzha on 27 October. “We will review the situation there and take a collective decision,” he said.

For now, the CPI has made it clear that the controversy is not merely about the education scheme, but about the principles of consultation and collective leadership that underpin the LDF. “How can the Front go forward when such important decisions are taken without discussions or transparency?” Viswam asked. “The CPI is not just questioning the haste — we are questioning the process.”

The public rebuke marks one of the rare occasions in recent years when the CPI, traditionally the most stable partner of the CPI(M), has taken an openly confrontational stance against the government. It also comes at a politically sensitive time, as the LDF faces criticism over governance lapses and tightening finances.

Analysts said the dispute exposes latent strains within the ruling coalition. “The CPI has been uncomfortable with unilateral decision-making for some time, especially on administrative matters,” said a senior political observer. “By going public, it has signalled that the alliance’s internal democracy cannot be taken for granted.”

While CPI(M) leaders have so far avoided responding publicly to the criticism, senior sources in the party said the government had no intention of implementing the NEP and viewed the PM SHRI participation as a technical measure to ensure Central funding for state schools.

But for now, the episode has triggered rare public dissent within Kerala’s Left ranks — and an unusually blunt reminder from the CPI that even among allies, ideological loyalty must not replace political consultation.