Raut says Gokul chairman poll was no election, questions appointment of four directors

The election for the chairman's post of the Gokul milk federation in Kolhapur was held yesterday. Mahayuti candidate Rajesh Patil became Gokul chairman. Amid this, talk of a merger of the Nationalist Congress Party in the state is also under way. Thackeray faction MP Sanjay Raut addressed the media at a press conference on these developments.

Raut criticised the government over the Gokul chairman's post. He said, "What happened yesterday cannot be called an election. The election should have been held among the 25 members. Farmers had chosen a panel with a majority of 13 members. But under pressure from Amit Shah, Fadnavis appointed four directors. All this was done to sell Amul. Two bull-like ministers from Kolhapur went on a rampage for this. From the point of view of democracy, this is an extremely dangerous event. Its consequences will be seen ahead. A tunnel has been dug under democracy. Ministers such as Hasan Mushrif and Chandrakant Patil do not deserve to behave like this."

Raut went on, "People who ran away in fear of the ED were seen thumping their arms yesterday. But when these days change, they will have to run again. That is my prediction. Pawar saheb in particular should not set such people on their feet again. History has never seen such a black day. You bought votes by paying Rs 10,000, Rs 20,000. Where did this money come from? From which account did it come? Fadnavis should rein this in. Whom are you challenging? A minister is speaking such destructive language. When power comes into their hands, even a dog thinks it is a tiger."

Commenting on Minister Chandrakant Patil, Raut said, "People like Chandrakant Patil are destructive. Those who are not men themselves hate the ability of others."

Raut also raised questions about Chief Minister Fadnavis. He said that had the Chief Minister been on the side of Gokul and the law, he would not have let the four directors be appointed. Raut asked, "Is the Chief Minister dozing? You do not accept the verdict of democracy. Five and a half lakh farmers brought about a regime change, and you do not accept that either. Then how will you accept the results of other elections?"

Raut also said he did not wish to get involved in the matter of the Nationalist Congress Party's merger.