The party has succeeded in denying the Congress an opportunity to control the dairy federation that controls 13 district milk unions.
With the unanimous selection of BJP-backed Parthi Bhatol as chairman of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) on Friday, the party has succeeded in denying the Congress an opportunity to control the all-important dairy federation that controls 13 district milk unions. The BJP had recently taken control of the co-operative bank sector in the state and is now heading to wrest control of the Gujarat Cricket Association, a body that has been with the Congress for a long time.
Experts in dairy sector were expecting that a Congress-backed candidate will get the top post in the state dairy sector, but the BJP maneuvred to put its man in place. Now, Bhatol will be at the helm of affairs for another three years.
Though Bhatol has no political background, the development indicates his proximity with the ruling party. Especially, in the light of the fact that his son Vasant Bhatol is a vice president of BJP in Banaskantha district.
Bhatol’s selection surprised all, because Dudhsagar Dairy chairman Vipul Chaudhary was the strongest contender for the post. Chaudhary was reportedly persuaded by the party bosses to drop out of the race.
According to reliable sources, on Thursday evening, home minister Amit Shah, co-operative minister Dilip Sanghani and BJP general secretary Bharatsinh Parmar camped at Anand and held a meeting with chairman of the BJP-led dairy unions and persuaded them to select a candidate unanimously. At the end of the meeting, all zeroed in on Parthi Bhatol because of his clean image and non-controversial tenure as the chairman of GCMMF over the past three years.
In 2006, when Bhatol was made the chairman of GCMMF after the exit of Dr Verghese Kurien, Chaudhary was also in the race for the post, but at that time he was with the Congress. The BJP, therefore, had then supported Bhatol. Though Chaudhary is now with the BJP, he could not realise his dream of heading the GCMMF as he had to follow the party mandate.
Chaudhary had joined the BJP after quitting the Congress. He then left the BJP, only to come back to it after he was named in the recruitment scam of Dudhsagar Dairy. The co-operative department of the state government had also dashed off a notice to the dairy authorities. But everything became calm after Chaudhary returned to the BJP. However, the BJP bosses have not rewarded Chaudhary.
Neither he was given ticket for 2007 Assembly election from his hometown Mehsana, nor was he made GCMMF chief.
Co-op minister Sanghani said: “I welcome the development as it happened without any controversy. All sat together and selected the chairman by reaching a consensus. The BJP had supported Bhatol in his last term also.”
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