Sumul Dairy polls: 7 out of 9 seats see 100% polling

Sumul Dairy, which has an annual turnover of Rs 6,500 crore, comprises 19 directors (members), of whom three are nominated members. More than 2.5 lakh farmers in Surat and Tapi are associated with the dairy. Elections for nine seats of the Sumul Dairy board were held peacefully on Wednesday. While the board has 16 seats for which elections are held, candidates backed by the BJP won seven of them uncontested. As many as 21 candidates were in the fray for the nine seats, for which ballot voting was held in nine talukas of Surat and Tapi districts. The results will be announced on July 17.The 16 seats have 1,003 registered voters, who are presidents of milk committees in 16 talukas in Surat and Tapi. In a BJP-led board, the Congress won three seats — from Nizar, Uchhal and Vyara — in the last elections. The polling was held from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm under strict police arrangements. The Board is witnessing a direct contest between the BJP and Pashu Palak Hit Rakshak Samithi, which comprises BJP rebel leaders and Congress leaders, for the first time. The BJP’s group is called Sahkar Panel. Sources said that on Wednesday, polling was held for Olpad, Mandvi, Mahuva, Umarpada, Nizar, Kukarmunda, Vyara, Songadh, and Dolvan seats. Except for Olpad and Umarpada, all other seats recorded 100 per cent voting. Out of the 42 voters in Olpad, only 39 were allowed to vote, as three others failed to fulfil the voting criteria. In Umarpada, which has 60 voters, one voter did not turn up at the polling station. Similarly, the seats that saw cent per cent voting are Mandvi (129 votes), Mahuva (65), Nizar (51), Kukarmunda (43), Vyara (90), Songadh (175), and Dolvan (52). Surat Choryasi, a BJP MLA who won Choryasi seat uncontested, said, “We are sure that we will win the election as farmers who supply milk to us are satisfied with the prices they get given. Not a single complaint from them has come in the last decade. We also have plans for expansion to other states.” Outgoing vice-chairman Raju Pathak said, “We have already won the election, and the fight is to give a clean sweep to Congress. The counting will be done at the Sumul Dairy banquet hall on July 17 in the presence of Prant Officer Neha Savani.”Story continues below this ad Congress leader Darshan Naik said, “Out of the nine seats, our candidates on five of them are very strong.” Sumul Dairy, which has an annual turnover of Rs 6,500 crore, comprises 19 directors (members), of whom three are nominated members. More than 2.5 lakh farmers in Surat and Tapi are associated with the dairy. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd