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Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 25 (IANS) Even as the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) is set to campaign for what it calls the CPI(M) ‘third Pinarayi government’, the alliance is grappling with its most serious “internal crisis” over the state’s decision to sign on to the Centre’s PM-SHRI scheme.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) has hardened its stance, insisting that “policy cannot be changed for money”, and has demanded the withdrawal of the agreement.
“A political decision has to be taken that this PM-SHRI cannot go ahead and it will have to be withdrawn,” senior CPI leader Prakash Babu said on Saturday.
Expressing the same sentiment, Minister of State for Animal Husbandry J. Chinchurani said the issue had come up in the cabinet and it was opposed then.
“We had made it clear that this could not happen. Then how did it get signed?” he asked, highlighting the “growing uneasiness” among CPI ministers.
The CPI has accused the CPI-M of keeping allies in the dark and described the move as a “violation of front discipline”. Its mouthpiece, ‘Janyugam’, attacked the government for “bowing to the fascist agenda of the RSS”.
The party’s state executive is scheduled to meet on October 27 to decide its next step, amid speculations that the minister may even consider resignation if the impasse continues.
However, the CPI(M) is adamant on going ahead with the project, arguing that the issues can still be resolved through talks.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is expected to intervene to ease the tension.
Opposition leader VD Satheesan said on Saturday, “The sequence of this signing has to be understood. Earlier this month, Vijayan visited Delhi and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari. After a few days, the Centre’s plan was signed, and CPI ministers had to resign as they felt duped. Even the CPI-M national leadership was kept in the dark,” he said. Satisan.
Meanwhile, actor-turned-Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi said the scheme should have been signed long ago, but now that it has been done, it is good.
Gopi said, “You have seen the media reporting on the poor infrastructure of schools, and keep in mind, the beneficiaries of this project are innocent students who have no politics. This is necessary to groom the next generation of people.”
Meanwhile, the timing of the rift with local body elections coming soon and assembly elections in April/May has left LDF strategists worried.
The CPI national secretariat also drew parallels with the “decline” of the Left in West Bengal and warned that “political arrogance” could prove costly.
With ideological differences widening and tempers flaring, the PM-SHRI row has plunged the LDF into its deepest political crisis in recent memory, and now all eyes are on CM Vijayan, who is currently on a marathon Middle East tour, as it is up to him to ensure a return to normalcy in the LDF.
–IANS
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