Thiruvananthapuram: The much-touted ‘Double Heart’ (Eratta Chanku) image of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has been decisively broken, with the Communist Party of India (CPI) forcing his unconditional surrender on the contentious PM SHRI scheme. The Chief Minister, previously defined by his PR-driven moniker of being a ‘Double-Hearted’ (unwavering) leader since 2016, is now being dubbed ‘Single-Hearted’.
For days, a section of the media, largely seen as pro-Pinarayi, had widely propagated the narrative that the CPI would eventually yield on its opposition to the Central government’s PM SHRI project. Political observers even suggested the CPI lacked the capacity for anything other than a meek surrender.
🏛️ CPI Stands Firm, Boycott Threat Triumphs
However, the reality proved dramatically different. The CPI stood rock-solid on its demand to withdraw from the PM SHRI scheme. The leadership’s announced decision to boycott the crucial Cabinet meeting proved to be the decisive game-changer. Despite intense efforts by senior CPM leaders, including Pinarayi Vijayan, M.A. Baby, and M.V. Govindan, to pacify the ally, the CPI refused to budge.
📝 Vijayan Concedes to CPI’s Terms
The Chief Minister was ultimately compelled to capitulate, agreeing to freeze the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme. The final resolution, a clear political victory for the CPI, involved three key assurances from the Chief Minister:
- A Cabinet sub-committee will be formed to review the issue.
- The PM SHRI scheme’s implementation will be frozen pending the sub-committee’s decision.
- The Centre will be officially informed that the State will not proceed with the agreement at this juncture.
This unconditional surrender marks a significant turning point, allowing the CPI to claim a towering political stature in Kerala by successfully making the Chief Minister “bow down” on a major policy decision.
