Baroda Dairy acting chairman G B Solanki resigns amid malpractice allegations

“I have been associated with Baroda Dairy as a director for the last 20 years. In these 20 years, we have seen the dairy grow manifold…However, in the recent mudslinging against the dairy, the work is getting affected,” Solanki said. “I think if my resignation can make things better for the functioning of the dairy, then it is in the interest of everyone that I resign. I will continue to be a director but I am resigning from the post of vice-chairman and also giving up my role as acting chairman,” he added.

Inamdar, who has been alleging mismanagement in Baroda Dairy since 2021, issued a public statement to contend that the Baroda Dairy board had caused a loss of Rs 49 lakh by allegedly approving an “unnecessary” change in the electric load of the chilling plant in Bodeli in Chhota Udepur district, in addition to alleged “corruption of Rs 37.27 lakhs in the purchase of manufacturing equipment for cheese spread as well as a mismanagement of Rs 10 lakhs in allegedly awarding a maintenance contract for the cold room of the Sugam plant”.

Inamdar had also alleged that new employees had been illegally recruited in technical and administration departments to benefit relatives of members of the board. Inamdar had said that he had sought a thorough probe by the registrar of cooperatives into the allegations.

The Baroda Dairy Workers Union last week had also submitted a memorandum to the district collector seeking “restraint” against people “defaming Baroda Dairy and its employees”.

Inamdar has the support of BJP MLAs Shailesh Sotta from Dabhoi, Akshay Patel from Karjan, and the recently elected BJP rebel Independent MLA Dharmendrasinh Vaghela from Waghodia.

Dinesh Patel is a two-term BJP MLA from the Padra Assembly constituency, who lost to the Congress candidate Jaspal Padhiyar in 2017.