Satej Patil claims 12 Mahayuti directors are at an Udaipur hotel, says he knows room numbers

Politics in Maharashtra is heated over the election of the chairman of the Kolhapur District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union, known as Gokul. The Gokul election was closely fought. Of the 25 seats, candidates of the Mahayuti won 12, while the like-minded panel led by Satej Patil got 13.

A quorum of 14 is needed to elect the chairman, and it has not yet been met. For this reason the chairman has not been elected so far. Meanwhile, the Mahayuti government amended the co-operative law and issued an ordinance to appoint five government directors on Gokul. Four of these government directors have been given the right to vote. As a result, the like-minded panel may have to stay away from power despite winning more seats. This has sharpened the politics.

To guard against any foul play, the Mahayuti and the like-minded panel have each sent their 12 directors away on a trip. It was said that the 12 Mahayuti directors were in Alibag. But in an interview, Satej Patil claimed that he has full information about where they are.

According to Patil, the 12 Mahayuti directors have travelled via Goa and Surat and have now reached Udaipur. He said the media showed that they had gone to Alibag, but in fact all of them are at a Marriott hotel in Udaipur. Patil said, "I know all their room numbers too." According to him, all of them are staying on the first floor, and their room numbers begin with 130. Patil also said that all of them are being made to sign an affidavit, and that they themselves do not know what is written in it.

Patil said in the interview that some people on the ruling side give him information. According to him, many in the ruling Mahayuti are unhappy about government directors being placed on Gokul. Patil said he also knows what happens in cabinet meetings. In his words, he is neither in power nor a minister, yet he gets news of the discussion on Gokul in cabinet meetings.

Satej Patil said he has been in politics for 30 years and has ties with leaders of all parties. He also said that when he was in power, he too had done work for many people.