Maharashtra/Agency: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the BJP of changing election rules after the Gokul Dairy polls in Maharashtra’s Kolhapur to reduce the Congress-backed panel’s majority. He called the move an attempt to steal the votes of milk producers and undermine the election result.
In a post on X, Rahul alleged that after the Congress-backed panel defeated the BJP, the government decided to increase the number of board directors from 12 to 16 by adding four government nominees. He accused the BJP of changing rules to retain control of the cooperative.
The controversy follows the October 19 election to the 25-member board of the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, popularly known as Gokul Dairy. The Congress-backed Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samvichari Aghadi, led by Satej Patil, won 13 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured 12.
Pawan Khera questions government nominations
Congress leader Pawan Khera also criticised the Maharashtra government’s decision to nominate four directors to the board with voting rights. He alleged that the move could change the elected board’s majority and affect its functioning.
Khera said Mahayuti-backed directors remained absent from a meeting, preventing the election of the chairperson. The Bombay High Court subsequently directed that a fresh election be held on November 10.
He said the Congress would challenge the government’s decision in the Supreme Court, arguing that it undermines the democratic mandate and the autonomy of cooperative institutions.
The proposed nominations have triggered a political dispute between the Congress and the BJP over control of the cooperative body.
