Kochi: Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan on Saturday said that the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan kept the whole of Kerala, and not just its ally CPI, in the dark while signing the PM SHRI Schools MoU and alleged that there was some "conspiracy" behind it.
Congress leader Satheesan claimed that the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme MoU was signed on October 16, less than a week after the CM met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 10, but was not informed to the state cabinet when it met on October 22.
He said that Vijayan needs to disclose what alleged pressure or blackmailing from the Centre forced them to sign the MoU so "secretively".
"The MoU was signed secretively without any information to its allies or the state cabinet. Even CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan were unaware," the opposition leader claimed.
Satheesan said that all this indicated that the CM and state General Education Minister V Sivankutty "were cheating their allies".
He further said that Sivankutty cited lack of funds and financial crisis in the department as the reasons for signing the MoU.
"But, that is not what the CM and the state finance minister are saying. They are claiming there is no financial crisis in the state. They are all contradicting each other. There is no consultation, discussion or communication within the LDF.
"The CM's arbitrary decisions are being imposed on everyone and he is being pressured by Sangh Parivar forces," Satheesan contended.
He further questioned the need for a state cabinet in such circumstances and said that the ministers from CPI and other allies should resign.
His hard hitting remarks come a day after CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam had said that the party and other LDF constituents were kept "in the dark" about the decision.
Viswam had characterised the move as a "breach of the front's collective discipline." Meanwhile, senior CPI(M) leader A K Balan brushed aside Viswam's remarks as "an expression of his emotions".
"I don't think there is any basis for his harsh remarks made a day ago. I consider it as an expression of his emotions. I believe he will correct it himself," he said.
Balan further said that no one should wait in hopes of the CPI leaving the LDF.
"The CPI(M)-CPI bond cannot be severed like that. The UDF invited the CPI into its front the day the Left party expressed its views on the PM SHRI scheme. That means the UDF knows it cannot come to power without the help of a LDF constituent party.
"Rest assured neither CPI nor any other LDF constituent party is going to leave the alliance," he asserted.
Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs George Kurian too said that the CPI was not going to leave the LDF.
He said that the CPI's opposition was a "drama" which will continue till the upcoming local body polls take place. "The CPI will not go anywhere from the LDF. You can be sure of that," he said.
(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
