As the elections for the Board of Directors of the Surat-Tapi District Milk Producers Union Ltd, commonly known as SUMUL Dairy, approach in five days, the number of contested seats has decreased further. Initially, 16 seats were set to be contested, but the BJP-supported Sahkar panel has already secured five of these seats uncontested. Following the withdrawal of a BJP rebel candidate and a Congress-backed candidate, the upcoming elections on July 15 will now only involve nine seats, allowing the BJP to claim a total of seven seats without contest.
Concerned about their position, the Congress party had relocated all 11 candidates from its panel, known as the Pashupalak Heet Rakshak Samiti (PHRS), to a secure location outside Gujarat over a week ago to prevent any potential influence from the BJP. Darshan Naik, the former president of the Surat district Congress, noted that the candidates returned on July 4, the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers.
These elections have garnered heightened interest, featuring not only contests between the Congress and BJP-supported panels but also independent candidates and rebels from both major parties challenging their own affiliations.
SUMUL Dairy, with an annual revenue of ₹6,500 crores, is one of the six founding dairies under the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which manages the Amul brand and encompasses 18 milk unions, predominantly led by BJP-affiliated chairpersons. With a membership of 250,000, political panels compete for control of this cooperative, which holds significant sway within the rural community. Reports indicate that the dairy sells over 1.5 million liters of milk daily to consumers in Surat and Tapi.
The dairy has direct ties to countless residents in Surat and Tapi and is planning to expand into Goa and Maharashtra. Sandeep Desai, a BJP MLA from Choryasi in Surat and a former SUMUL Dairy director, stated that the Amul Federation has approved the construction of a new facility capable of processing 1.8 million liters of milk. This facility will include capacities of 500,000 liters each in Kolhapur, Mumbai, and Nasik, and 300,000 liters in Goa. SUMUL Dairy will secure land for this plant, which will market its products under the Amul brand.
Previously known as the Surat District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd, this 75-year-old dairy was renamed to encompass milk unions in Tapi district, aiming to enhance outreach in tribal regions. Raju Pathak, the outgoing vice chairman, explained that the dairy had previously struggled to gain popularity in tribal areas due to a lack of infrastructure for milk marketing, with many tribal farmers primarily raising cattle for breeding rather than milk production. However, the situation has shifted, with many now engaging in dairy farming profitably.
Jayesh Delad, a former director at SUMUL Dairy, highlighted that the cooperative not only produces milk and dairy products but also offers sweets, cattle feed, ice creams, and bakery items. The milk from SUMUL is distributed in Goa, Kolhapur, and Mumbai, catering to consumer demand.
Pathak, one of the uncontested BJP-backed candidates, expressed confidence that the BJP will maintain its influence in SUMUL Dairy, noting that farmers are satisfied with the prices they receive for their milk. He elaborated on the extensive network of vehicles collecting milk from various villages in Surat and Tapi, emphasizing the importance of this industry to numerous families, which attracts the attention of political parties during these elections.
Pathak also mentioned that there are only three rebel candidates from the BJP running in the elections, describing them as ordinary party members with limited influence. He indicated that the party would take appropriate action following the elections.
Congress leader Darshan Naik acknowledged the party’s weaker position regarding the uncontested seats won by the BJP but expressed optimism about their chances in the remaining nine contested seats, anticipating a challenging battle ahead.
According to SUMUL Dairy’s website, milk sales in Surat city for 2024-25 exceeded 442.9 million liters, with daily sales around 152,300 liters. In addition to milk, SUMUL produces six varieties of cattle feed to enhance yield and employs veterinary professionals to assist cattle owners with animal health. The cooperative also offers subsidies for acquiring new livestock.
The 250,000 members who supply milk to collection centers will elect their 1,002 presidents, who will participate as voters in the elections scheduled for July 15.
A source within SUMUL Dairy noted that the BJP has been in control of the cooperative since 2015, following the introduction of a mandate process to facilitate the identification of candidates aligned with the party for continued governance.
The incumbent chairperson of the dairy, Mansinh Patel, is not seeking reelection this time due to health issues.
On July 4, the final day for withdrawing nominations, a Congress-backed candidate, Sunil Gamit, representing Uchhal, passed away from a heart attack after having withdrawn his nomination the previous day. With only two candidates remaining, Election Officer Neha Savani, a revenue officer from the Surat district collectorate, declared the BJP candidate Jalamsinh Vasava the uncontested winner after another Congress rebel candidate, Samir Vasava, withdrew his nomination on July 2. The Congress party requested a postponement of the elections for the Uchhal seat following Gamit’s death, but the election officer denied the request since Gamit had already withdrawn.
Additionally, on July 2, another candidate, Naresh Patel, a former chairman of the Surat District Co-operative Bank, withdrew his nomination for the Valod seat, which also went uncontested to the BJP after he contested as a rebel due to not being nominated by the party.
