Tumul directors greet MLA H V Venkatesh who was appointed as Tumul director in Tumakuru on Wednesday.
Credit: DH Photo
Tumakuru: In a surprised move, Pavagad MLA H V Venkatesh, who was a nominated member of Tumakur Co-operative Milk Producers Societies Union Limited (Tumul) has been elected president of the Tumul on Wednesday. He will be at the helm of affairs for 40 months - as long as the Congress is in power in the State.
In fact, his selection as the president of Tumul has evoked mixed responses from other elected directors. Since the Congress-supported members won the Tumul directors’ election, it was almost clear that one among them would be made the director. Many had projected Tumul elected director K P Bharati Devi, wife of Gubbi MLA S R Srinivas, as the next Tumul president. Apart from her, M K Prakash of Tiptur and B Nagesh Babu of Madhugiri too were in the forefront for the president’s post. However, the party leaders have made a surprise move by appointing H V Venkatesh as the president of Tumul. Many have openly criticised the leaders’ move claiming that the leaders were using Tumul to settle their scores in politics.
It is said that in spite of oppositions within the party ranks, Gubbi MLA S R Srinivas had fielded his wife Bharati Devi irking many. Besides, she was being projected as the next president of Tumul that had upset Minister for Co-operation K N Rajanna, who had taken a keen interest in the elections. He made a strong advocacy for nominated member MLA Venkatesh for the president’s choice, it is said.
Meanwhile, Tumul was headed by Vokkaliga and Lingayat community members earlier and Venkatesh’s choice is being considered as an opportunity for Scheduled Caste/Tribe communities, claim sources in the Congress.
However, a director fumed at Venkatesh’s selection, claiming if the leaders wanted to appoint a nominated member as the president, why did they even conduct the elections in the first place?
Another director pointed out that politicians bring their egos and prestige for Tumul. “Due to their prestige and indifferences among them, I was deprived of an opportunity.”