THIRUVANANTHAPURAM — Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has suffered a significant political setback, being forced to withdraw the state’s decision to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Central government’s PM-SHRI education scheme. The humiliation stemmed not just from the expected opposition from coalition partner CPI, but from a powerful and unexpected revolt led by a prominent faction within his own party, the CPI(M).
Sources indicate that the CM’s plan to control the CPI’s protest was thwarted by a calculated move from within the CPI(M) itself, a challenge to his authority that Vijayan reportedly did not foresee.
The Secretive Operation
The controversy began with the secretive nature of the MoU signing. It is reported that Chief Minister Vijayan only discussed the decision with a very small, trusted circle: State Party Secretary M.V. Govindan, his son-in-law and Minister P.A. Muhammad Riyas, and Education Minister V. Sivankutty.
The clandestine operation deliberately excluded key party figures, including the LDF Convener T.P. Ramakrishnan and all other cabinet ministers, with the exception of Riyas and Sivankutty. This decision to bypass established protocol and keep senior comrades in the dark became the catalyst for the internal rebellion.
The Triple Threat Challenge
The secrecy surrounding the PM-SHRI deal gave significant ammunition to the CPI’s protest, which quickly gained critical backing from a strong CPI(M) internal faction. The faction, reportedly supported by Party General Secretary M.A. Baby, presented a united front.
This triumvirate of key ministers—P. Rajeev, K. N. Balagopal, and M.B. Rajesh—aligned themselves with Baby, creating an insurmountable pressure group against the CM’s decision. Faced with this united internal and external opposition, Pinarayi Vijayan was compelled to completely surrender and withdraw from the PM-SHRI scheme.
Succession Battle and Riyas’ Future
The defeat is widely interpreted within political circles as a direct warning to Chief Minister Vijayan against his perceived efforts to groom his son-in-law, P.A. Muhammad Riyas, for a potential future leadership role. The faction’s successful rebellion is seen as a decisive blow against Vijayan’s unparalleled dominance over the party.
While the CPI may have claimed victory in the PM-SHRI dispute, the CM understands the real challenge came from the betrayal by a faction of his own comrades. The political future of Riyas, his close confidant, is now viewed as “not bright.” All eyes are now on how the veteran leader will choose to deal with this blatant challenge from his party rivals.
