The Maharashtra state cabinet has approved an amendment to the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act of 1960 on Wednesday, affecting the upcoming chairman elections for the Gokul milk union.
The decision was made during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Satej Patil criticised the cabinet’s decision as anti-democratic, arguing that post-election government appointments override the true voters’ mandate. This is theft of the milk producers’ votes – adulteration in the mandate. The BJP has become so desperate that it’s going to any lengths everywhere to save power,” he wrote in a post on X.
Congress leader Satej Patil’s panel recently won 13 of the 25 elected board seats, while the ruling Mahayuti alliance won 12. The board meeting requires a 14-director quorum, which was missed when Mahayuti members skipped the October 29 chairman election. With four new voting members appointed by the state government, the ruling alliance could gain a 16-to-13 majority before the Bombay High Court’s ordered November 10 re-vote. “So the BJP changed the rules after the election – stuff in 4 directors, turn 12 into 16, steal the majority.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, slamming the BJP, said the party changed the rules after milk producers defeated it.
