The rift within the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala deepened as Communist Party of India (CPI) ministers on Wednesday threatened to boycott the state cabinet meeting after the government signed off on the Centre’s PM Shri scheme without prior consultation. CPI has four ministers in the cabinet and their decision to not attend the meeting forced the government to adjourn the session till evening. The crisis has become a major concern for the LDF, especially as the local body elections approach. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had called a meeting with CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam and CPI ministers in Alappuzha to defuse the tension, but the talks did not yield any solution.
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The CPI has demanded that the state withdraw from the scheme, as it claims that it brings Kerala’s education policy in line with the education policy of Sangh Parivar organizations. The crisis arose when the Chief Minister and the Education Minister signed the PM Shri Yojana without the approval of the Cabinet. To compensate for the loss, the state government has now decided to temporarily stop the implementation of the scheme and inform the Centre. The CPI(M) has also assured its ally that a cabinet subcommittee will be formed to review the issue.