CM Fadnavis defends Gokul intervention

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the state government's intervention in the Gokul Dairy election deadlock, stating the move was executed to prevent any statutary deadlock and has no political angle in it as claimed by the Congress.

"There are two factions in the elected board of Gokul and according to their bylaws, the elections would get cancelled and the charge of the institution will eventually go to the officials of CoOperatives department if attempts to elect Chairperson fails due to quoram issue thrice. This has happened earlier. 

We are acting to avoid this statutary tangle and there is no political abgle to it because politically Gokul is a very small body comprised of around 5000 members who come from a small area of a district," Fadnavis told media persons in Nagpur on Saturday while answering a query about Gokul.

​Fadnavis clarified that the administration has no intention of taking control over the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, emphasizing that the government's involvement is strictly a statutory matter rather than a political maneuver.

Cooperative Crisis

The crisis emerged after the recent board elections resulted in a fractured mandate among the cooperative's 4,500 voters, with one faction securing 13 seats and the opposing group winning 12. Because neither side could secure a clear working majority, the meetings scheduled to elect the dairy union's chairman had to be cancelled twice due to insufficient quorum.

The Chief Minister explained that if the meeting had failed for a third consecutive time, the entire election would have been legally voided, which forced the government to make a decision to resolve the impasse. The decision was made for fulfilling statutory duties based on the Advocate General's advice, he added.  

​The local cooperative dispute gained national attention when Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi accused the ruling alliance of altering election rules post-poll to manufacture a majority and undermine the mandate of the milk producers.

Fadnavis sharply criticized Gandhi's commentary, questioning why the Congress leader was sitting in Delhi and tweeting about a district-level dairy cooperative.

The Chief Minister dismissed the opposition's claims as an attempt to nationalize a local administrative issue, maintaining that the situation did not warrant interference from national political figures.  

Legal Justification

​Addressing potential legal and internal coalition challenges, Fadnavis maintained that the state government proceeded with the decision only after thoroughly consulting legal experts and obtaining the formal opinion of the state's Advocate General.

He further put to rest speculations regarding internal rifts within the Mahayuti alliance over the issue, confirming that the resolution was a unified cabinet decision taken with the full consent and consultation of allied leaders, including Eknath Shinde.

Diwali With Farmers

Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said he will celebrate Diwali with farmers in Lohari Savanga village in Nagpur's Narkhed taluka to "boost their morale" amid drought in the state.

"Maharashtra is experiencing severe drought this year, and farmers are facing a major crisis. Therefore, all ministers have collectively decided that this time, we will celebrate Diwali by visiting villages and spending time with farmers," he told reporters.

"We will interact with farmers, sit together with them, and, in a way, make an effort to boost their morale through this initiative," he added.

Fadnavis said there was no "immediate solution" to a crisis like drought, but asserted his government would provide all possible assistance to support farmers.

"At the same time, we want to ensure that their morale remains high and they feel the government stands with them. This is why we have taken this decision (celebrating Diwali with farmers)," the CM said.