Amul polls to be stormy affair

█ Battle for chairman, vice-chairman posts

While Cong has majority seats in board of directors, BJP-ruled govt has appointed three govt nominees in an attempt to increase votes, gain power

The elections for chairman and vice-chairman of Anand-based Kaira Cooperative Milk Producers Union, popularly known as Amul Dairy, is set to be a stormy affair. Though the Congress has majority, the BJP can turn the tables on them as the government has appointed three nominees on the board of directors which can sway the power in their favour.

The election is scheduled to be held on Friday.

Currently, the Congress holds sway as a panel belonging current chairman Ramsinh Parmar and vice-chairman Rajendrasinh Parmar has nine of the 13 seats in the managing committee while BJP holds four.

As per Section 80 (2) of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act 1961, the government can appoint three nominees in the organisation involving public interest. So, the government nominated Prabhatsinh Zala, Dinesh Patel, and Bharat Patel as its representatives. With votes of the four members, three recently appointed members, one vote of the district registrar, and one vote of the chairman of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the BJP will have an upper hand in the appointment of chairman and vice-chairman.

Following this, three Congress leaders including Borsad MLA Rajendrasinh Parmar and Anand MLA Kanti Sodha Parmar went to court, alleging that these appointments were made by the BJP to create an artificial majority to favour members belonging to the ruling party. After conducting a hearing, the high court on Thursday ordered the State government to proceed with the election for the post of chairman and vice-chairman but forbade it from declaring the result. The high court has directed election officials to keep votes of the three nominees in a sealed cover and produce it during the next hearing on October 24.


Interestingly, Ramsinh Parmar is a former Congress MLA who joined the BJP in 2017. If the BJP gives a mandate to him, it will not go down well with the Congress leaders with whom he had formed a panel. If the BJP doesn't give him a mandate, it is likely that he will act against the party.

However, Ramsinh Parmar - who has been chairman of the dairy since 2002 -- is playing his cards close to his chest. When Mirror asked him what he would do if the BJP did not give a mandate in his favour, he said, "It is not clear to whom the party will give the mandate. I will contest elections as chairman. I can't say anything more as of now." Rajendrasinh Parmar told Mirror, "We will comply with the high court order and go ahead with elections for the posts of chairman and vice-chairman. Let's see what happens tomorrow."