Mumbai, Nov 5 (PTI) Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Maharashtra government of trying to steal the people's mandate and take control of Gokul Dairy by appointing government-nominated directors, with MLC Satej Patil announcing a protest march in Kolhapur city on November 9.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on X that the government's decision to appoint nominated directors after the election was a theft of the milk producers' votes and "adulteration in the mandate".
The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said that milk producers defeated the BJP in the election to Kolhapur-based Gokul Dairy, and so it changed the rules afterwards, adding four directors to increase its numbers.
While Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that the entire Maha Vikas Aghadi of the opposition must come together on the issue, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar urged “all those who believe in democracy” to gherao Gokul Dairy during its chairman's election.
Days after a panel backed by Congress leader Satej Patil defeated a panel supported by the ruling Mahayuti in elections to Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, better known as Gokul Dairy, the government approved the appointment of five government-nominated members to the managing committees of cooperative institutions with annual turnover of more than Rs 500 crore.
Patil on Thursday said the BJP-led government had "insulted the people of Kolhapur and hurt their self-respect".
A protest march would be taken out on November 9 from Dasara Chowk to the district collector's office in Kolhapur against the decision, he said.
His panel had won 13 out of 25 seats in the October 19 Gokul election while the rival panel had secured 12 seats, Patil noted, adding that the chairman's election was postponed after the 12 opposition directors remained absent.
His side approached the Bombay High Court, which directed that notices be issued to all 25 directors and the chairman's election be held on November 10, the Congress leader said.
The government agreed before the court to hold the election among the 25 directors, and yet the state cabinet on Wednesday decided to appoint four additional directors with voting rights and issued an ordinance, he said.
"The government brought in this law only to take control of Gokul. I condemn this conspiracy," Patil said.
Gokul collects around 20 lakh litres of milk daily from nearly 5.5 lakh farmers and pays them about Rs 100 crore every 10 days, he noted.
NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged on X that the government’s move was an attempt to take control of Gokul Dairy despite the mandate of 5.5 lakh voters.
Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that after Mahayuti-backed directors "stalled" the chairman's election by remaining absent, the Bombay High Court directed a fresh election on November 10.
Instead of allowing the elected board to function, the state Cabinet approved a proposal to nominate four government directors with voting rights, potentially altering the electoral arithmetic and overturning the mandate of milk producers, he said.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)