Mysore/Mysuru: Elections to the prestigious MYMUL (Mysuru Milk Union Ltd.) will be held on Feb. 28. On this day, the new administrative board will be chosen and already many behind-the-scenes activities are being witnessed to take control of the milk producing body. 

Though the term of the present management ended on Sept. 14 last year, elections could not be held due to COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the date has been announced for the elections, political developments with twists and turns are coming to centrestage. 

In 2015, elections were held for the posts of nine Directors of MYMUL and S. Siddegowda, K.G. Mahesh, A.T. Somashekar, K.S. Kumar, K. Eeregowda, Dakshaayani, Leela, P.M. Prasanna and K.C. Balaram were elected. 

In 2019, nominated member and BJP leader S.C. Ashok, a relative of CM Yediyurappa was all set to occupy the post of MYMUL President but in a twist, Mavinahalli Siddegowda, a long-time Director of MYMUL was elected President. 

In a major twist to elections in August 2019, Ashok withdrew his nomination just hours before the poll was to commence, thus paving the way for the unanimous election of Siddegowda as President. Moreover, Siddegowda is a close associate of MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD). 

Devegowda, which ever political party he is affiliated with, has a strong influence in cooperative sector in Mysuru region and he has ensured that his supporters win the elections for cooperative bodies like Mysuru District Cooperative Union, Mysuru Taluk Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Mysuru and Chamarajanagar District Co-operative Central Bank (MCDCC) Bank and Janata Bazaar. 

Now GTD’s son G.D. Harish Gowda, who is the President of MCDCC Bank and Vice-President of Apex Bank is exerting his influence in the sector to elect people loyal to him and his father. 

Meanwhile, K.R. Nagar MLA S.R. Mahesh too is formulating strategies to elect loyalists to MYMUL and has held a series of meetings with his supporters in Mysuru. Sources said that he is finalising the names of candidates and another meeting will be held soon. 

Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar, who is also the Minister for Cooperation, too has taken MYMUL elections seriously and wants maximum BJP supporters to win the election that has become a prestige issue. 

The schedule for election will be out soon and if sources are to be believed, the nomination process will begin from Feb. 15 and polls will be held on Feb. 28 from 8 am to 4 pm. Results are likely by 7 pm.