States » WestPosted at: Nov 5 2026 12:30AM


Dhangekar Questions Government-Nominated Directors’ Voting Rights in Gokul, Cites High Court Verdict

Pune, Nov 4 (UNI) The political tussle over the election of the chairman of the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, popularly known as Gokul, has intensified, with Shiv Sena leader and former Pune MLA Ravindra Dhangekar entering the controversy.
In a post on X, Dhangekar has questioned the Maharashtra government's decision to appoint four nominated directors to the milk union and grant them voting rights, arguing that the move could undermine the autonomy of the cooperative institution.
The Gokul election has attracted considerable political attention as the milk union represents the interests of around 5.5 lakh dairy farmers and approximately 5,400 milk societies across Kolhapur district. In the recently concluded elections, the Mahayuti panel secured 12 seats, while the alliance backed by Congress leader Satej (Bunty) Patil won 13 seats. Despite the majority secured by the Patil-backed panel, the election of the chairman remains unresolved.
The state government's decision to appoint four expert directors to Gokul has further complicated the situation.
The Maharashtra Cabinet has reportedly approved the appointment of these four government-nominated directors and granted them voting rights. The move has triggered objections from the opposition, particularly Satej Patil, who has termed it an attempt to undermine the democratic mandate of the elected board.
Dhangekar referred to an earlier Bombay High Court ruling and criticised the government's decision. He also shared a copy of the court order to support his argument against granting voting rights to nominated members.
Dhangekar pointed out that when he was associated with the Congress, he had personally approached the High Court in 2021 against the appointment of a nominated member as the Leader of the House in the Pune Municipal Corporation. The matter was registered as Writ Petition No. 2155/2021.
According to Dhangekar, the High Court had made it clear that nominated members who are not directly elected through the democratic process cannot be given voting rights or positions that interfere with the rights of elected representatives.
Drawing a parallel between the Pune Municipal Corporation case and the ongoing Gokul controversy, he argued that the same democratic principles should apply to cooperative institutions as well.
In his social media post, Dhangekar said Maharashtra's cooperative movement had grown into one of the strongest in the country because successive governments had provided autonomy and support to cooperative institutions. He also acknowledged the support extended to such institutions during Eknath Shinde's tenure as Chief Minister.
"Today, however, the autonomy of Gokul is being threatened. The democratic mandate of 5,400 milk societies and around 5.5 lakh farmers must be respected," Dhangekar said.
He further warned that political interference and attempts to take control of the institution through government-nominated directors could adversely affect the functioning of a well-established cooperative organisation.
Dhangekar urged the state government to support the cooperative movement without interfering in the internal administration of such institutions. He called upon the government to respect the mandate of the elected directors and allow them to manage the affairs of Gokul democratically.
Meanwhile, the decision to grant voting rights to the four nominated directors has become a major point of contention between the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition. With the Satej Patil-led panel having secured 13 seats against the Mahayuti's 12, the role of the four government-appointed directors has become particularly significant in the ongoing chairman's election dispute.
Satej Patil has strongly opposed the government's move, describing it as an attempt to suppress democracy and interfere with the mandate given by the milk producers and cooperative societies. UNI SP CDS
Tags: #Dhangekar Questions Government-Nominated Directors’ Voting Rights in Gokul# Cites High Court Verdict
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