The Kerala government led by Pinarayi Vijayan has decided to suspend its memorandum of understanding with the central government concerning the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India scheme. A seven-member Cabinet sub-committee has been formed to review the agreement. This decision followed strong opposition from the Communist Party of India, the second-largest partner in the Left Democratic Front alliance. The CPI argued the scheme was linked to the National Education Policy 2020, which it views as promoting saffronisation of education. For years, the CPI(M) had also opposed the PM SHRI initiative on similar grounds. The central government had withheld over Rs 1,400 crore to Kerala's general education department, creating financial pressure. With local body elections scheduled for December and Assembly polls due in April 2026, the CPI(M) could not afford a prolonged conflict with its ally over this contentious issue.
CPI Pressures Senior Ally Over PM SHRI Scheme
After the state signed the memorandum last Thursday, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam criticised the move as a violation of coalition politics. He stated that the matter was never discussed in the Cabinet and allies were kept uninformed. CPI general secretary D Raja urged the CPI(M) to freeze the agreement, calling the National Education Policy a reactionary and dangerous policy. Raja met his CPI(M) counterpart M A Baby to demand withdrawal from the scheme. The CPI maintained pressure, using the controversy to assert its position within the ruling alliance. This marked the first time the CPI successfully forced Chief Minister Vijayan to reverse a major decision during his two terms in office.
Electoral Concerns Drive Government's Decision
The CPI(M) decided to suspend the scheme implementation with crucial elections approaching. Local body elections are scheduled for December, followed by Assembly elections in April 2026. The party could not prolong the dispute amid allegations of succumbing to central pressure and compromising its stance against saffronisation of education, which risked alienating its secular voter base. Following the decision, Vijayan announced several welfare measures, including increased welfare pensions, Rs 1,000 monthly aid for women from weaker sections, and higher rubber support prices. These initiatives aim to position Vijayan as the Left Democratic Front's face for the Assembly polls. Social media campaigns promoting his third term have already begun.
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