As the Karnataka assembly elections approach, the BJP and Congress are engaged in a war of words with the latter accusing the ruling party of selling off or merging Karnataka-based companies.
In the latest such development, Siddaramaiah – the former Karnataka chief minister and Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly – has cautioned the people of the state to “beware of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and their double engine government”.
Urging the people of Karnataka to “save” the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) – the state’s dairy cooperative that sells milk products under the brand name ‘Nandini’ – the Congress leader wrote on Twitter: “They will sell all the assets belonging to Kannadigas. After destroying our banks, they are now determined to destroy Nandini KMF - a brand built by our farmers.”
By banks, Siddaramaiah was referring to the merger between Karnataka-based Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda in 2019.
He said that the state’s milk production has been affected since the day the Union cooperative minister spoke about the possibility of a merger between KMF and Gujarat’s dairy-based cooperative society Amul.
The Congress leader claimed that Amul is trying to gain a back-door entry into the state as “Kannadigas vocally opposed the idea of the merger”. He said: “Nandini’s milk and curd supply to retail was less in the last few days & now Amul is slyly entering the market.”
“It is clear that Amit Shah has a big role in destroying Nandini to help Amul. Gujarat-based Amul had previously tried to enter Karnataka's market to sell milk and curd. We had not allowed it to happen then, but now the state government is welcoming them with open arms," he added.
“KMF has witnessed a fall in the procurement of milk under BJP rule in Karnataka. Instead of the usual collection of about 99 lakh litres, the collection has dropped to 71 lakh litres. Is this part of the conspiracy against KMF?”
Notably, KMF is the second-largest dairy in the country after Amul. Not only does it operate in other states, but it supplies products to the armed forces too and exports milk to several countries as well. The Karnataka Opposition has been alleging that the saffron party, with its double-engine government, is trying to foster an environment that is prosperous for Gujarat-based firms, by merging or selling off Karnataka-government-owned businesses.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
