ALBANY — In a rare move against the State Legislature’s most powerful Democrat, one of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s colleagues is criticizing him for “killing” a plan to help the University at Buffalo and other State University of New York institutions expand.

Assemblyman Mark J. F. Schroeder labeled Silver, a Manhattan Democrat who has controlled the Assembly since 1994, an “obstructionist” for “standing in the way” of UB’s 2020 program, which university officials and others say will transform UB into a driving force for new jobs and education programs in Western New York.

“If the speaker is not being an obstructionist, he should bring the bill to the floor for a full house vote,” Schroeder said.

The plan, which also would benefit other SUNY campuses, has been embraced and advanced by Gov. David A. Paterson and supported by the Democratic-led State Senate.

It would give UB some relief from state regulations involving contracting and some autonomy in setting tuition rates.

Critics in the Assembly have argued that low-income students could be hurt if the state does not keep control over such decisions as tuition.

They also have worried about creating a slippery slope for other colleges in the 64- campus system.

Backers are pushing a “rational” tuition plan, which would increase SUNY tuition at more predictable, inflation-based levels each year instead of big jumps once every four or five years.

The plan, first proposed by UB several years ago, would give flexibility to other SUNY campuses for such things as land deals and partnerships with the private sector.

In Buffalo, it is seen as benefiting the downtown health corridor. UB has said its plans will create nearly 7,000 jobs.

Schroeder, a Buffalo Democrat, said Silver told members of the Western New York delegation last year that if they could win SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher’s support for the effort, the Assembly would pass the bill.

Zimpher has since signed on.

“He said, ‘Get the new chancellor’s support, and we got a deal,’ and it never happened,” Schroeder said

Wednesday in an interview.

“The current obstruction in the Assembly majority conference is a misguided power play,” Schroeder said in a recent letter to Silver.

More than 40 Democrats have pledged to support the Higher Education Empowerment and Innovation Act, he said, and Republicans have told him they can provide 38 votes — enough to pass the legislation if brought to the floor.

Silver and other Democrats from New York City oppose the measure, which will largely help the upstate-based SUNY system, Schroeder said.

If the UB 2020 bill dies in the Assembly this year, Schroeder said, he will not vote for Silver when his colleagues gather to elect the next speaker in January.

Silver, whose members rarely ever criticize him in public, was not available Wednesday to comment.

Zimpher, meanwhile, was in Buffalo on Wednesday to discuss SUNY’s new strategic plan.

“The State University of New York should and could be the economic engine for New York’s revitalization,” she said.

Zimpher, who was charged with setting a course for the SUNY system when she was hired last year, spoke in the HealthNow building downtown, where she outlined six ideas for the state system, including: getting university innovation more quickly into the marketplace, emphasizing college internships to help keep SUNY students in New York and increasing SUNY recruitment of foreign students.

Zimpher, though, agreed the Empowerment and Innovation Act is a key to the plan’s success.

“We can get started,” Zimpher said, “but we can’t go fast or broad without the state’s support.”