Mumbai. A decision by Maharashtra’s Devendra Fadnavis government has intensified the political dispute around Kolhapur’s prominent cooperative institution, the Gokul Dudh Sangh. The state cabinet has approved a proposal to appoint five government-nominated members to the management boards of cooperative institutions with an annual turnover of more than Rs 500 crore. Four of them will have voting rights, while the fifth member will be an official of the cooperation department and will not have the right to vote.
The decision is being seen as significant after the recent election results of the Gokul Dudh Sangh. The panel led by Congress MLA Satej Patil secured a majority by winning 13 of the 25 seats, while the Mahayuti-backed panel won 12 seats. Despite this, the election of the chairperson could not be held. At the meeting on October 29, the required quorum of 14 members was not completed due to the absence of Mahayuti-backed directors. The Bombay High Court then directed that the meeting be held again on November 10.
Congress has strongly opposed the government’s decision. Party leaders have alleged that an attempt is being made to affect the mandate of the elected board of directors by changing the rules after the election. Congress leader Pawan Khera has announced that the decision will be challenged in the Supreme Court. Satej Patil has also said he will fight a legal battle.
The government, meanwhile, argues that the change is necessary to ensure transparency and professional management in large-turnover cooperative institutions and to remove administrative deadlock. The decision is now expected to trigger a wider legal and political confrontation.
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