Kollam (Kerala) | Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly V D Satheesan on Monday accused the Left government of "deceiving" the public by "secretly" signing the PM SHRI agreement after protesting against the Centre, saying even the CPI had been "humiliated" in the process.

"The PM SHRI agreement was signed without informing anyone. According to the union education secretary, Kerala had expressed its willingness to join the PM SHRI scheme as early as March last year," Satheesan told reporters here.

He said it was shocking that the same government which held a protest in Delhi on February 8, 2024, against the central government's neglect later "secretly expressed its willingness to join PM SHRI, deceiving everyone." His statement comes amid the CPI's public protest against the CPI(M), its lead partner in the ruling LDF in Kerala, for signing the agreement without discussing it in the Cabinet or the LDF meetings.

The Congress leader alleged that after Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met Prime Minister Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the agreement was signed without anyone's knowledge.

"There is an illicit understanding between the BJP and the CPI(M). In all cases being investigated by central agencies, both parties help each other. The latest revelations only reinforce this," he alleged.

Satheesan said the CPI had been "insulted" over the decision.

"They (the CPI-M) even asked, 'Which CPI?' After signing the agreement, neither the chief minister nor the education minister (Sivankutty) mentioned it in the Cabinet. What a level of deception! What mystery lies behind all this? What conspiracy has taken place? The chief minister must clarify," he claimed.

Turning to the Sabarimala gold missing case, Satheesan said the Travancore Devaswom Board should be removed.

"It is time to throw out the Travancore Devaswom Board. In the Sabarimala gold loot case, the current board members themselves will become accused. Their violations of the law have been made clear in the court's verdict. Yet, if there is an attempt to extend the board's term, it means that even top leaders have a share in the loot," he alleged.