THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The dispute between Kerala’s ruling CPM and CPI over the PM SHRI scheme appears to be nearing resolution, with both parties reaching a consensus on implementing the scheme in the state.
There are indications that the CPM has agreed to the CPI's demand to freeze the project implementation for the time being. As part of the settlement, the state government will write to the union government seeking relaxations in the scheme's implementation. Until then, all procedures related to the scheme implementation will be paused.
With both parties agreeing on a settlement, CPI ministers will attend Wednesday's cabinet meeting. Earlier, the CPI had decided that its ministers would stay away from cabinet meetings until its demands were met.
The CPM decided to seek relaxations from the union government at the party's available secretariat meeting held at AKG Centre on Wednesday. It was attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, party secretary MV Govindan and LDF convenor TP Ramakrishnan. A bilateral discussion will be held between the CPM - CPI state leaderships soon.
CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam, along with party leaders Sathyan Mokeri and PP Suneer, will attend the discussion with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPM state secretary MV Govindan.
The CPI's original demand was that the state government should not implement the PM SHRI scheme. It also asked the state government to withdraw from the agreement signed with the centre without due consultations in the Cabinet or the LDF.
The party, however, mellowed down its position after the government conveyed that a withdrawal was nearly impossible as the Memorandum of Understanding for project implementation was already signed. The state will stand to lose sanctioned funds if it withdraws unilaterally.