'On board's insistence, R S Sodhi was asked to quit'

VADODARA: For the first time after R S Sodhi's unceremonious exit from the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) as managing director, the chairman of the federation on Wednesday broke his silence on the shockingly hasty resignation episode that shook India's dairy sector.
Talking to TOI, GCMMF's chairman Shamal Patel, who remained incommunicado for two days, said that it was on the insistence of the board that Sodhi was asked to resign.
"Whether it is in the co-operative sector or in government services, 58 years is the age of superannuation. We (GCMMF board) had already given him (Sodhi) an extension. Two years ago, we had asked him to prepare a succession line so that the generation next can take over charge at the federation," Patel told TOI.
"On Monday (Jan 9), we had asked him to willingly submit his resignation so that we can entrust the responsibility to the federation's chief operating officer (COO) Jayen Mehta, who has now been appointed as the in-charge MD. It was a policy decision taken by the board as Sodhi has already completed 64 years. We cannot continue giving extensions as the appointments are done in accordance with terms and conditions," Patel said.
Chairman silent on hasty meeting at AmulFed Dairy
GCMMF's chairman Shamal Patel, however, did not clarify why the board meeting at AmulFed Dairy, Gandhinagar was called in a haste. When asked about the widespread allegations against Sodhi that are making the rounds, Patel said that he isn't aware of any inquiry against Sodhi. "I can confidently say that there has been no wrongdoing during my tenure as the chairman," said Patel, who was elected as chairman of GCMMF in July 2020.
Shamal Patel is the chairman of the Sabarkantha District Milk Producers Union Limited popularly known as Sabar Dairy.