Ahead of Gokul election, rift within Mahayuti surfaces

Kolhapur:BJP's associate MLA from Chandgad Shivaji Patil has accused of irregularities in Kolhapur Jilha Dudh Utpadak Sangh, popularly known as Gokul Dairy, with the support of a big minister, that he indirectly hinted was NCP's Hasan Mushrif.Patil will meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and seek a probe by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Patil accused that more than 3,000 milk collection centres were registered by violating state govt rules.Each of the milk collection centres sends its representative to cast the vote to elect the directors of the dairy. The control of Gokul Dairy is important since it is directly connected to 5 lakh milk-supplying families. The Gokul Dairy election will take place soon."I am going to demand an ED inquiry into irregularities that have taken place with the blessings of a big minister. I am going to seek the abolishment of the directors' body, and placing of an independent administrator to run the dairy. Even though we are in Mahayuti, we will not tolerate corrupt practices taking place in the dairy," said Patil.The MLA added thatwith large number of ineligible milk collection societies registered with the influence of a few politicians, the dairy is likely to go into the hands of a few dynasties. Currently, Mushrif's son Naved is the chairman of the dairy.Mushrif has refuted the allegations and has claimed that Patil is unaware of registration process. "I was shocked by MLA Patil's accusations. We had discussions twice over the Gokul election. After that I don't know why he has made the accusations. His statements feel like someone is wrongly prompting him. The registration of 1,200 societies is in dispute and the number he is talking about is totally misleading," said Mushrif in a written statement.Meanwhile, Congress MLC Satej Patil has taken dig at Mushrif, who said that the power in the dairy belongs to Mahayuti now, while at the time of electing his son Naved it was with the ‘Shiv Shahu Aghadi'."We have seen in the Satara ZP election how Mahayuti netas were treated. Everywhere, Shiv Sena and NCP have become helpless in front of BJP. The dispute is between Mahayuti partners, they should resolve it. But I want to ask MLA Patil not to politicise Gokul, it belongs to the farmers. We had ensured to keep the party politics aside. I want to ask minister Mushrif in private about what is happening between Mahayuti partners," said Patil.