The prolonged leadership uncertainty at Sumul Dairy has ended with former Gujarat minister and ex-MLA from Songadh Kanti Gamit elected as chairperson of the Surat-Tapi District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. Bharatsinh Solanki was elected vice chairperson.
The appointments followed more than two months of delays caused by differences among elected directors and BJP leaders over the top positions. Meetings convened to elect the chairperson and vice chairperson were postponed twice before consensus was reached on September 25.
The Sumul management committee elections held on July 17, 2026, resulted in BJP-backed candidates securing 15 of the 16 seats, giving the group a clear majority on the board. Kanti Gamit was also among those elected from Songadh, where he secured 139 votes and defeated his rival by 125 votes.
The leadership deadlock subsequently delayed the appointment of the cooperative’s top office-bearers. The eventual election of Gamit and Solanki brings a formally elected leadership to the cooperative after the prolonged uncertainty.
Gamit is a former Gujarat minister and former MLA from Songadh and is described in the report as a prominent tribal leader. His appointment places him at the head of one of South Gujarat’s major dairy cooperatives, which has a substantial base of milk producers from tribal communities.
Sumul Dairy operates as the Surat-Tapi District Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union, serving milk producers and cooperative societies across Surat and Tapi districts. The cooperative’s leadership will oversee its dairy operations and relationship with its milk-producer network.
The leadership change comes roughly a year before the next Gujarat Assembly elections. The Times of India reported that Sumul’s large tribal milk-producer base gives the cooperative significance across South Gujarat’s tribal belt, while Gamit’s appointment could have wider political implications in the region.
With the chairperson and vice chairperson now elected, the cooperative’s new management can proceed with its regular administrative and operational responsibilities, including matters relating to milk procurement, dairy operations and producer interests.
Source: Dairynews7x7 27 Sep, 2026 Read Full Story Here
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