Mysore/Mysuru: A total of 29 candidates are in the fray for 15 posts of Director in MyMUL (Mysuru Milk Union Limited), the election to which will take place in city tomorrow (Mar. 16). The election has become a prestige issue for disgruntled JD(S) MLA G.T. Devegowda and JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who are fighting a heated battle to gain control of the Co-operative Milk body, though the elections are not contested on party lines.

The polling will take place at KMF Training Centre in Mega Dairy premises on Bannur Road. There are a total of 1,052 votes, with the electors body comprising empowered members of Milk Producer Co-operative Societies across the district. The voting will take place from 9 am to 4 pm, following which the counting of votes will be taken up and the results are expected to be announced later in the evening tomorrow.

Out of the 15 Director posts, 7 are assigned for Mysuru Sub-Division and the rest 8 for Hunsur Sub-Division. For 7 seats in Mysuru Sub-Division, there are 7 candidates in the fray. In Hunsuru Sub-Division, there are 14 candidates for 8 post of Directors. Out of the 7 seats in Mysuru Sub-Division, 5 seats are reserved for general category and 2 for women candidates. Similarly in Hunsuru Sub-Division, out of the 8 seats, 6 are reserved for general category and 2 for women candidates.

Following the announcement of poll schedule last month, 34 candidates had filed nomination papers. While the nomination paper of one candidate was rejected for indiscrepancies, four candidates withdrew from the contest, thus leaving 29 candidates in the fray.

The election, though not held on party lines, has raised a lot of interest in political circles, as political parties believe that gaining control of the co-operative milk body will help them politically in the long run, especially in rural areas, where dairy farming is an important means of rural livelihood.

The election is seen as a prestigious issue for MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD), who is trying his best to hold sway over the milk body, while on the other hand, former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, with whom GTD has fallen out is sparing no effort to gain control of MyMUL. Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Congress and JD(S) have formed a syndicate group, after fielding 7 candidates in Mysuru Sub-Division and 6 candidates in Hunsur Sub-Division, while the group backed by GTD is contesting all the 15 posts.

It is significant to note here that former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy recently visited the city a couple of times to evolve strategies for defeating the candidates backed by GTD.