Gokul Milk Union Row: Rahul Gandhi Targets Maharashtra Ordinance

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on Thursday that the Maharashtra government is trying to overturn the Gokul milk union election result by changing the cooperative law. The state cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved an ordinance on Wednesday that lets the government nominate five directors to large cooperative societies. Writing on X, Gandhi called it “theft of the milk producers’ votes”. Fadnavis said the decision followed the Advocate General’s opinion and that the union had failed twice to form a quorum.

Four Voting Nominees in a 25-Seat Board

The ordinance amends Section 73AA(2) of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960. It applies to cooperative societies with annual turnover above Rs 500 crore that receive state support; District Central Cooperative Banks are exempt. One nominee would be a non-voting official of assistant registrar rank or above. The other four would be voting industry experts who cannot contest office-bearer posts.

Congress-led panel members hold 13 of the 25 elected seats at Gokul, the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union. If all four voting nominees side with the Mahayuti-backed directors, that bloc would reach 16 against 13, according to National Herald.

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A Chairman Vote That Failed on Quorum

The union’s election was held on 19 October. The Congress-led panel, headed by Satej Patil, won 13 seats and the Mahayuti panel 12. The chairman election on 29 October failed because Mahayuti-backed directors stayed away: 13 directors were present against a required quorum of 14. The Bombay High Court has since ordered a fresh chairman election on 10 November.

Gokul was set up in 1963 and links about 4.41 lakh milk producers through 8,009 village societies. Its turnover was Rs 3,966.28 crore in 2024-25.

Court Challenge and a 9 November Protest March

Fadnavis said on Thursday that “nobody had secured a majority in Gokul” and that only about 4,500 voters were involved, calling it a local matter. He said a third cancelled meeting would have cancelled the election itself, which is why the government acted.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said the party is challenging the decision in the Supreme Court. Patil has said he will contest it in the Bombay High Court, and he has announced a protest march in Kolhapur on 9 November, a day before the chairman vote. More reports on the party’s campaigns are under the Congress tag.

Source: Based on reporting by National Herald, Asianet Newsable (ANI) and Free Press Journal.

Image: National Herald.