Political Influence Reshapes Amul Board Elections

Anand — The recent board elections at the Kaira District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (Amul Dairy) have reignited long-running concerns about political interference in India’s storied dairy cooperatives. In a decisive outcome this month, BJP-backed candidates won 11 of 13 seats on the Amul board — four uncontested and seven in voting rounds that recorded a striking 97.48% turnout — prompting renewed debate over the changing balance between farmer control and partisan influence in cooperative governance.

The present: a high-stakes sweep

What looked like routine cooperative politics quickly turned into a high-stakes contest. Several candidates withdrew nominations ahead of the polls, handing uncontested victories to BJP-backed contenders in four blocks, while the remaining nine seats were fiercely contested with 24 candidates across blocks. Voting at the Amul premises in Anand was closely watched by party workers and local officials; security was tight amid reports of clashes during the nomination process earlier this month.

Local media framed the outcome as the BJP’s consolidation of influence in a cooperative that was once a traditional stronghold of rival political interests. The Indian Express and Times of India reported the sweep as unprecedented, noting the political implications of controlling a federation that remains a major economic and social force across Gujarat’s villages.

A history of political ties

The Amul story is not new to politics. Scholars and journalists have long documented how cooperatives in Gujarat — prized institutions that underpin rural livelihoods — became important vote banks and sites of political contestation. Analyses going back several years show cycles where political alignment shaped board composition, procurement policies and even management decisions, sometimes to the detriment of operational efficiency and farmer interests. Critics have warned that political capture can shift priorities from farmer welfare and quality to patronage and short-term politics.

Incidents of alleged interference have surfaced periodically: disputed nominations, last-minute withdrawals, accusations of vote-buying, and attempts to influence appointments at the cooperative level. In 2020 there were public allegations that state actors sought to steer board appointments after electoral setbacks — a sign that political parties view cooperative control as strategically valuable.

Why this matters beyond Anand

Amul is not just a brand; it is an institutional architecture that channels rural incomes, procurement practices, and thousands of family livelihoods. Political control of its board can have ripple effects on milk procurement rates, investment decisions, product strategy and farmer relations. When partisan goals override cooperative norms, there’s a real risk of decisions being made for immediate political optics rather than long-term sustainability. That can affect farmer prices, cooperative transparency and the federation’s ability to invest in processing capacity or quality assurance.

Farmers, governance and the credibility challenge

Farmer members and cooperative activists face a dilemma. High voter turnout — nearly 97.5% — suggests strong engagement, but the optics of uncontested seats and last-minute candidate withdrawals raise questions about the openness of the process. For smallholder members, the fear is that political alignment at the board level could redirect resources away from farmer services and into political patronage, undermining the cooperative principle of member control.

What comes next

With the new board in place, stakeholders will watch closely how the federation sets procurement policies, price decisions and commercial strategy. If the board steers Amul toward investments and policy choices that strengthen the cooperative and improve farmer incomes, political influence may be judged benign. But if appointments lead to politicised procurement, contract awards or reduced transparency, farmer trust and brand credibility could take a hit.

Experts suggest a few safeguards: greater transparency in nomination and voting procedures, independent audit of procurement and financial decisions, and stronger member education so farmers can hold directors accountable. For national observers, Amul’s current shuffle is a test case: can India’s cooperative model survive partisan competition without losing its farmer-centric character?

Source : Dairynews7x7 Sep 13th 2025