India, Nov. 6 -- The BJP-led Mahayuti government recently amended the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act to primarily tighten its control over cooperative institutions. It took this step during the election to the six-decade-old Gokul Dairy -- the country's second-largest dairy cooperative after Amul -- triggering political backlash and the potential for long-term repercussions in the cooperative sector.

In the election to the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union, popularly known as Gokul, held on October 18, the Congress-backed Rajarshi Shahu Shetkari Samvichari Aghadi (RSSSA) led by Satej Patil won 13 of the 25 seats, restricting the Mahayuti to 12 seats despite an aggressive campaign led by three state ministers, two...