Thiruvananthapuram: The United Democratic Students’ Front (UDSF), comprising student organisations affiliated with UDF constituent parties, has called for a statewide education bandh on Wednesday (October 29), demanding that the state government withdraw from the Centre’s PM SHRI scheme. The decision was reportedly made during a UDSF meeting held on Tuesday in Thiruvananthapuram.

Meanwhile, the PM SHRI issue has sparked a rift within the ruling Left coalition. The CPI, a key ally of the CPM, has decided that its ministers will boycott Thursday’s cabinet meeting in protest against the government’s decision to sign the agreement. Talks between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam on Monday failed to reach a consensus.