Rahul Gandhi slams BJP over 4 added Gokul directors; Satej Patil threatens court and street protest

Politics around the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, known as Gokul Dudh Sangh, has heated up again. The cause is the government's decision, ahead of the chairperson's election, to place government-nominated directors on Gokul's board. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has now entered the matter.

In the recent Gokul election, Congress leader Satej Patil's Rajarshi Shahu Samvichari Aghadi defeated the Mahayuti panel heavily. Even so, the tussle over the chairperson's post has not ended. The state government has decided, by amending the cooperative law, to place four Government Nominated Directors on Gokul.

On November 5, Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP over the decision on his X account. He wrote that milk producers had defeated the BJP in Gokul, so the BJP changed the rules after the election. According to Gandhi, the board was expanded from 12 to 16 by adding four directors, and the majority was stolen. He said this was theft of the milk producers' votes and adulteration of the mandate.

Gandhi also said the BJP had become so desperate that it was going to any lengths to hold on to power everywhere. In his words, those who steal the milk producers' votes should remember that "the farmer does not forget".

After Gandhi's post, Satej Patil thanked him. Patil wrote: "Thank you, Rahul ji, for becoming the voice of Kolhapur's five and a half lakh milk producers." He said the Gokul mandate belongs to farmers and that he would fight for it both in court and on the streets.

Patil also alleged that an attempt was being made to seize power in Gokul through the back door by insulting a democratically elected majority. He said he would not sit silent against the government's high-handedness and its interference in the cooperative sector. Patil gave an open warning that, along with seeking relief in court against the decision, there would be a intense agitation directly on the streets.

Meanwhile, preparations are under way at the administrative level. The plan is to finalise the names of the government-nominated directors, send them authorised letters inviting them to the special meeting for the chairperson's election, and complete the legal process. The plan is to finish all of this within the next three days.

At present, the Samvichari Aghadi led by Satej Patil holds the majority on Gokul's board of directors. But if these four new members appointed by the Mahayuti government get the right to vote, the contest for the chairperson's post and the political equations could change completely. For this reason, the role of these four directors is being seen as crucial.