Pinarayi Vijayan targets CM Satheesan over PM SHRI U-turn and Punarjani case
Synopsis
Pinarayi Vijayan has put the Satheesan government on the back foot on three fronts at once — a PM SHRI U-turn that contradicts UDF's own election campaign, the quiet closure of the Punarjani vigilance case, and silence on the ESA draft. It is an unusually broad offensive from the opposition, and the government has yet to answer any of it.
Key Takeaways
Pinarayi Vijayan accused the V.D.
Satheesan -led UDF government on 1 August of reversing its pre-election opposition to the PM SHRI school scheme.
Vijayan argued the previous LDF government signed an MoU with the Centre only to recover withheld funds — not to implement the scheme — and later informed the Union government Kerala would not proceed.
A Rajya Sabha reply cited by Vijayan stated states can withdraw from PM SHRI even after signing an MoU, contradicting the Satheesan government's position.
Vijayan demanded the Home Department 's closure of the Punarjani vigilance case be reconsidered, alleging the probe had surfaced serious findings on privately collected funds.
He also criticised the government's silence on the Centre's new Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA) draft notification.
Kerala's Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday, 1 August launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan and the United Democratic Front (UDF) government, accusing it of reversing its pre-poll stance on the Centre's PM SHRI school scheme and quietly abandoning its opposition to the National Education Policy (NEP). Vijayan made the allegations at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram, demanding a public explanation from both the Chief Minister and the Education Minister.
The PM SHRI Reversal Charge
Vijayan alleged that the Congress-led UDF government, which had campaigned against the PM SHRI scheme ahead of the elections, was now preparing to implement it — a charge that cuts directly at the government's campaign credibility. He described PM SHRI as a vehicle through which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was attempting to 'saffronise' India's education sector, and argued that the scheme's inseparable link to the NEP made it politically and ideologically untenable for any secular government to adopt.
The former Chief Minister defended the previous Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M))-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government's decision to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Centre, insisting it was a tactical move to recover withheld funds — not a commitment to roll out the scheme. He said the LDF had subsequently conveyed to the Union government that Kerala would not proceed and ensured no follow-up steps were taken before leaving office.
Vijayan also noted that even the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), a key UDF constituent that had previously opposed PM SHRI, appeared to have dropped its objections. He cited a recent Rajya Sabha reply in which the Union government clarified that a state could withdraw from the scheme even after signing an MoU — directly contradicting the Satheesan government's stated position that it had no choice but to proceed. 'The government owes the people an explanation and an apology for misleading them during the election campaign,' Vijayan said.
Punarjani Vigilance Case Closure
Vijayan also revived the politically sensitive Punarjani controversy, questioning the state government's decision to close a vigilance inquiry into the flood rehabilitation initiative that Satheesan had undertaken after the 2018 floods. He alleged that the probe had surfaced serious findings concerning funds collected through a private foundation linked to the programme.
Vijayan claimed the previous LDF government had deliberately allowed the investigation to proceed, rejecting any suggestion that it was being used as political vendetta. He said the case had since been shut by the Home Department and demanded that the closure be reconsidered. 'Let the investigating agencies complete a free and fair probe. The case should not have been wound up midway,' he said.
ESA Draft and Broader Allegations
Vijayan also criticised the Satheesan government's silence on the Centre's latest draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA). Recalling the contentious debates over the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports, he alleged that several UDF leaders — including Satheesan himself — had earlier backed expanding environmentally protected areas. He demanded the government clearly state its position on the new ESA draft.
More broadly, Vijayan alleged that the UDF government was displaying a growing willingness to accommodate Sangh Parivar forces, pointing to a pattern of decisions in its early months in office. He noted that several Congress-ruled states had already embraced PM SHRI, suggesting Kerala was now following the same trajectory.
What Comes Next
The UDF government is yet to formally respond to Vijayan's charges. With the PM SHRI rollout, the Punarjani case closure, and the ESA notification all converging as political flashpoints, the opposition is likely to press these issues in the upcoming legislative session. How the Satheesan government navigates these overlapping controversies will test its ability to hold its coalition together on education and environmental policy.
Point of View
It hands the Left a durable narrative of electoral deception. The Punarjani case closure is equally fraught: shutting a vigilance inquiry into a programme associated with the Chief Minister's own name, without a clear public rationale, invites exactly the kind of accountability question the opposition is now raising. What mainstream coverage may underplay is the Rajya Sabha reply Vijayan cited — if a state can indeed exit PM SHRI post-MoU, the government's 'no option' defence collapses, and the political cost of proceeding rises sharply.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the PM SHRI scheme and why is it controversial in Kerala?
PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India) is a Central government scheme to upgrade selected government schools. It is controversial in Kerala because it is linked to the National Education Policy (NEP), which the Left and several UDF constituents had opposed on ideological grounds. The Satheesan government is now accused of implementing it despite having campaigned against it.
What did Pinarayi Vijayan say about the previous LDF government's MoU with the Centre on PM SHRI?
Vijayan maintained that the LDF government signed the MoU solely to recover funds the Centre had withheld — not to implement the scheme. He said the LDF subsequently informed the Union government that Kerala would not proceed, and ensured no follow-up steps were taken before leaving office.
What is the Punarjani case and why is its closure being questioned?
Punarjani was a flood rehabilitation initiative associated with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan after the 2018 Kerala floods. A vigilance inquiry into funds collected through a private foundation for the programme was reportedly closed by the Home Department. Vijayan has demanded the closure be reconsidered, alleging the probe had surfaced serious findings.
Can Kerala withdraw from the PM SHRI scheme after signing an MoU?
According to a recent Rajya Sabha reply cited by Vijayan, the Union government has clarified that a state is free to withdraw from PM SHRI even after signing an MoU. Vijayan argued this directly contradicts the Satheesan government's stated position that it had no option but to proceed with the scheme.
What is the ESA draft issue Vijayan raised?
Vijayan criticised the Satheesan government for not stating its position on the Centre's latest draft notification on Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESA). He recalled that several current UDF leaders, including Satheesan, had earlier supported expanding environmentally protected areas during debates over the Gadgil and Kasturirangan committee reports.
