KMF chairman election: BJP to support Cong MLA?

Team Udayavani, Aug 24, 2019, 4:13 PM IST

Bengaluru: A notification for an election for the post of Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) has been issued by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies of the state and the election will be held on August 31.

The election had raised a curiosity in political circles as the former Chairman of KMF, Revanna, was keen on returning to the post while Congress legislator from Hagari, Bommanahalli Bhima Naik, is also expected to contest.

As per the sources, Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa has assured from Bommanahalli Bhima Naik that the government nominees and BJP-supported directors will extend their support to him. With the Congress enjoying a majority, the elections are expected to be a cakewalk for Naik.

Meanwhile, Revanna is expected to use his resources and contacts to get re-elected.

It may be recalled that recently, the State Government, citing a High Court order, put off the election to the post of chairman of the four-decade-old Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) minutes before the voting could take place.

Over the past two decades, the post of chairman of KMF – that reported a turnover of ₹14,522 crore in 2018-19 – has remained hotly contested as the federation, through its district union and village-level societies, commands a membership of over 25 lakh families across the State. Revanna himself was KMF chairman from 1994 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2009 and was dislodged by BJP’s Somashekar Reddy in 2009.