Is Kerala's PM-SHRI Signing a Deal Between CPI-M and BJP?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Kerala's decision to join PM SHRI has sparked outrage.
- The CPI openly criticizes the CPI-M.
- Allegations of a secret deal between CPI-M and BJP are rife.
- This incident may reshape Kerala's political landscape.
- Internal conflicts within the LDF are becoming apparent.
New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 24 (NationPress) The political upheaval surrounding Kerala's choice to participate in the Centre's PM SHRI (Prime Minister's School for Rising India) initiative escalated on Friday, as leaders from the Congress accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of entering a "bargain" with the BJP.
AICC General Secretary and MP K.C. Venugopal claimed that the signing was indicative of a covert agreement between the CPI-M and the BJP.
"CM Pinarayi Vijayan has compromised Left ideology for personal gain. Even the CPI expressed concerns, which were dismissed. This is not merely a policy decision but a political transaction," he stated.
Venugopal further asserted that the CPI-M was increasingly aligning with the Sangh Parivar, and the "bromance between the BJP and CPI-M is strengthening daily."
He accused the Chief Minister of disregarding coalition ethics.
"When a partner like the CPI was kept uninformed, what moral standing is left? The ABVP's congratulations to the Education Minister highlights who truly benefits from this decision," Venugopal remarked.
Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan echoed these sentiments, stating that the sharp critique from CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam revealed a significant "division" within the ruling coalition.
"Viswam's remarks were more severe than those from the Opposition. It clearly indicates the CPI-M government's willingness to appease the BJP and Sangh Parivar," Satheesan noted.
He questioned whether the decision was made "in Kerala or at Nitin Gadkari's home or during his meeting with PM Modi."
CPI ministers reportedly opposed the decision in the Cabinet, but their concerns were overlooked. "For the CPI(M), the BJP seems to have become a more significant ally than the CPI," Satheesan claimed.
Challenging the government's ideological shift, he remarked, "If the CPI-M has now embraced the National Education Policy (NEP) it previously labeled an RSS product, it should declare this openly. Has the CPI-M central leadership sanctioned this transformation? Even senior Left leaders like M.A. Baby seem to be sidelined."
Both Venugopal and Satheesan remarked that this incident marks a pivotal moment in Kerala's politics, revealing a growing "political alignment" between the CPI-M and the BJP, alongside deep fractures within the LDF itself.
With the CPI now publicly criticizing its larger counterpart, Monday's high-level party meeting in Alappuzha will be crucial as the CPI is set to announce its final stance.