PM SHRI déjà vu in Kerala: Congress blinks after IUML pushback

“The previous LDF government had signed an MoU with the Centre (for implementation of PM SHRI). Hence, the present UDF government cannot withdraw from it. The UDF government will take forward the scheme to get the fund, which is not a magnanimity of the Centre,’’ Prakash had then said.

On Friday, however, senior IUML leader and minister P K Kunhalikutty took exception to the UDF convener’s announcement, pointing out that the V D Satheesan Cabinet has formed a four-member Cabinet sub-committee to examine the issue.

“The previous CPI(M)-led LDF government had signed the MoU with the Centre. The UDF’s Cabinet sub-committee will find ways to move out of the MoU. At any cost, we are not going to implement the conditions of the scheme in the school curriculum. The sub-committee (headed by IUML leader and general education minister N Samsudheen) will report to the Cabinet on the road ahead. We have not taken any decision,’’ he said.

After Kunhalikutty made clear the IUML’s stand, Prakash made a U-turn, saying that “We have not decided on whether the state should remain as a participant of the PM SHRI. The decision will be taken after the Cabinet’s sub-committee report.”

Several Muslim bodies, including those close to the IUML, had flayed the UDF government’s bid to go ahead with the PM SHRI scheme.

LDF’s retreat

Last year, when the previous Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government signed the MoU with the BJP-led Centre for the implementation of the PM SHRI — meant to upgrade many schools into “model institutions” —  the UDF leaders had alleged that it was an outcome of a “secret deal” between the CPI(M) and the BJP.

In October 2025, after days of standoff with its junior ally CPI,  the CPI(M)-led government had decided to suspend the MoU, while constituting a seven-member Cabinet sub-committee to review it. Opposing the scheme, the CPI had echoed the LDF’s stand that the PM SHRI scheme was part of the Narendra Modi government’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which it saw as a tool for pushing “saffronisation of education” in the country.

On Saturday, Pinarayi Vijayan said: “Why is the Congress government in a hurry to implement the PM SHRI scheme. Chief Minister Satheesan should apologise to the people of Kerala for spreading canards that the UDF government cannot go back on the scheme. The LDF government had not initiated any further action on the scheme after signing the MoU. Now a Congress government has ratified the BJP agenda of saffronising the education sector.’’

IUML factor

During the PM SHRI row last year, the IUML had openly stated that the scheme will be rejected if the UDF is voted to power. During the recent Assembly elections, the UDF had called the LDF’s PM SHRI move “an evidence of CPI(M)-BJP pact  in Kerala”.

Currently, in the 140-member Assembly, the Congress has a majority on its own as it has 63 seats as compared to the IUML’s 22. However, Satheesan could not upset the IUML as he had its strong backing during the Congress race for the CM’s post.

Besides, in several Congress seats, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, the IUML’s support is considered crucial for the grand old party. However, while in power in the state, the Congress has always faced allegations about being driven by the IUML on various issues.

In another embarrassment for the UDF, Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary recently informed the Rajya Sabha that Kerala had not been allotted any funds under the PM SHRI scheme. The disclosure undermined the Congress’s claim that the previous LDF government had received the central assistance after signing the MoU.

In response to another question raised by IUML MP Abdul Wahab, the Union MoS also contradicted the Congress’s contention that the state government could not withdraw from the PM SHRI because the LDF government had already signed it.

In his reply, Chaudhary also did not say that states were barred from withdrawing from the PM SHRI. Instead, after mentioning its various features, he said states that do not sign the MoU or withdraw from the scheme stand to miss out on its benefits.