K N Balagopal Refutes CM V D Satheesan on PM SHRI Scheme; UDF Acting as BJP's Proxy in Keralam

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Finance Minister and senior CPI(M) leader K N Balgopal has dismissed as factually false Chief Minister V D Satheesan's claims that the LDF government never withdrew from the PM SHRI scheme and that funds under the programme were received by the state.

Balgopal clarified the sequence of events: the LDF government signed the PM SHRI memorandum of understanding on 23 October 2025, against a backdrop where the Central government had withheld various education grants — including those under the Samagra Shiksha scheme — citing Keralam's refusal to sign. The MoU was signed with an explicit condition that no changes would be made to the curriculum or textbooks.

However, as a subsequent political decision, the LDF government sent a letter of withdrawal from the MoU on November 12, and from that point no activity related to the PM SHRI scheme took place in the state. The MoU stands frozen and effectively cancelled, he said.

UDF

Balgopal charged that the Chief Minister is deliberately spreading falsehoods to mislead the public. He went further, adding that the BJP provided wholehearted support to the UDF in the assembly election with the express purpose of installing a government in Keralam that would implement the BJP's agenda — with the understanding yielding over 100 seats for the UDF and three for the BJP. Since coming to power, he said, BJP-aligned Vice Chancellors and Senate members have been appointed to universities, and Vice Chancellors have attended an RSS chief's programme. Even Congress members are complaining that RSS-affiliated individuals have infiltrated ministerial private secretary positions, while RSS nominees are being appointed to personal staff, Government Pleader, and other posts.

Some BJP leaders had said that their party could govern Kerala without winning an election — and that prediction is coming true, Balgopal said, adding that V D Satheesan is becoming the BJP's favourite Chief Minister, faithfully executing their wishes.