BJP min urges CM to amend composition of Board, poll winner Cong cries foul

The proposed amendments could have implications for the composition of the Gokul Dairy board, following the Opposition’s recent victory in the cooperative body’s elections

MUMBAI: A letter written by higher and technical education minister and senior BJP leader Chandrakant Patil seeking amendments to the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act to increase the number of government-appointed directors has triggered a fresh war of words between the ruling and Opposition alliances.

BJP min urges CM to amend composition of Board, poll winner Cong cries foul

The proposed amendments could have implications for the composition of the Gokul Dairy board, following the Opposition’s recent victory in the cooperative body’s elections. Opposition leaders have alleged that the move is aimed at preventing them from taking control of the board despite securing a clear mandate from members.

Patil wrote the letter to CM Devendra Fadnavis on October 16, just two days before the Gokul Dairy elections. He proposed increasing the number of government-appointed directors from two to four in cooperative institutions that had an annual turnover exceeding ₹3,000 crore. He also recommended increasing the number of institution-nominated directors from two to four. Patil urged the CM to place the necessary amendments before the cabinet for approval.

The proposal is being viewed by the Opposition as an attempt to prevent the Congress-led Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samvichari Aghadi headed by Satej Patil from taking control of the Gokul Dairy board. The panel won 13 of the 25 seats and has staked its claim to the chairperson’s post. Gokul has an annual turnover of over ₹4,000 crore, bringing it under the proposed amendment.

The letter has raised questions over whether the proposed changes could pave the way for additional government-appointed directors on Gokul’s board and potentially influence the balance of power in the cooperative. An official from the cooperation department said that an increase in the number of government-appointed directors could indeed provide an opportunity to the Mahayuti-backed panel to secure the chairpersonship.

“However, the mere submission of a letter does not pose an immediate challenge, as no such amendment has been formally proposed yet,” he said. “Moreover, government-appointed directors do not have voting rights. But if the Mahayuti decides to change this provision and grant them voting rights, it could amount to an attempt to gain control over one of the state’s largest cooperative dairy institutions.”

The Opposition has accused the BJP of attempting to gain control of the cooperative dairy through subterfuge. “First, the cooperation department attempted to disqualify milk societies supporting the Satej Patil-led panel by questioning their eligibility to vote,” said a Congress leader. “These societies had to approach the court to secure their voting rights. Subsequently, the ruling alliance’s panel raised objections over minor errors during the counting of votes on October 19. This led to a reduction of two seats for the Satej Patil-led panel. Patil’s letter appears to have been written in anticipation of the defeat of the ruling alliance-backed panel.”

Congress vice-president Sachin Sawant also criticised the proposed amendment, alleging that it was an attempt to undermine the mandate of cooperative members.

“This is an attempt to impose a Chandigarh-style cooperative model against the people’s mandate by changing the cooperative law and increasing the number of government-appointed representatives,” he said. “Such attempts to sideline elected members will not be tolerated and we will launch a movement against these coercive tactics. There have also been complaints of voters being pressured and deprived of their freedom to exercise their franchise during the Sangli District Central Cooperative Bank elections. This is a calculated and devious attempt to take away people’s democratic rights.”

When contacted, BJP spokesperson Navnath Ban said that Fadnavis would take appropriate action on Patil’s letter. “The Congress, which looted the cooperative sector for years, has no right to comment on this issue,” he said.

The controversy comes at a time when the election of Gokul’s chairman remains contentious, with the dispute over the board’s formation also reaching the high court. The proposed amendment has added another dimension to the political tug-of-war for control of the cooperative dairy.