Satej Patil Accuses Maharashtra Cabinet of Retrospective Law Change to Take Over Gokul Dairy

Congress leader Satej Patil accused the Maharashtra government of attempting to take control of the Rs 4,000-crore Gokul cooperative dairy by retrospectively changing the law, saying the move was aimed at overturning the mandate his panel secured in the board elections. Patil made the allegation at a press conference, ANI News reported on November 5, 2026.

Patil's Case Against the Cabinet Decision

Patil called the Maharashtra Cabinet's decision a "dark day" in the state's history and alleged the government was trying to hijack the majority his panel won through a technical provision. "The election was held, voting took place, the result came out, and because it wasn't in your favour, you want to change the law," he said.

Patil said the amended law would apply to Gokul and one or two other federal institutions, while sugar factories and district banks would be excluded. He alleged that Maharashtra Ministers Hasan Mushrif and Chandrakant Patil had taken the lead in changing the law, and questioned the appointment of nominated members as experts.

Patil said his panel would pursue a legal battle in the High Court and expressed confidence it would secure a majority of 13. He also alleged that 12 members had travelled to Goa, then Surat, and were now in Udaipur.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam defended the government's decision, saying politics should not interfere in the cooperative sector. Nirupam said Congress-backed candidates won only 13 of the 25 seats, while candidates linked to the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP secured the remaining 12. He said electing a chairman requires a two-thirds majority, and the amendment is intended to resolve the deadlock, ensure transparency, prevent corruption and protect the interests of farmers and dairy workers.

Gokul's Scale and Reach

According to akta.pro company records, Gokul Milk is a 63-year-old member-owned dairy cooperative in Kolhapur, Maharashtra, established on 16th March 1963 as an Operation Flood cooperative dairy project. The records list a modern dairy plant capacity of 17 lakh liters per day and combined chilling center capacity of 8 lakh liters per day across four owned facilities.

Patil said the livelihoods of 5.5 lakh farmers depend on Gokul, which collects around 20 lakh litres of milk every day and pays Rs 100 crore to farmers every 10 days. Nirupam put the cooperative's turnover at around Rs 3,000-4,000 crore.

How the Gokul Election Unfolded

The Times of India reported that the election process for the Kolhapur District Milk Producers' Cooperative Union began in August 2026 with a draft voter list granting voting rights to 4,897 cooperative societies. In October 2026, Mahayuti functionaries in Kolhapur finalised a seat-sharing pact for the October 18 Gokul election, with NCP contesting nine seats, BJP and Shiv Sena seven each, and JSSP two, The Times of India reported. Minister Hasan Mushrif and Congress MLC Satej Patil held separate campaign inaugurations for their respective panels, The Times of India reported.

What Comes Next for Gokul

Patil said his panel would take its challenge to the High Court and pointed to the seven-day notice requirement, saying the legal process would continue.