P.Nagaraj, one of the directors of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), is all set to become the next chairman of the KMF for a period of two years.
Mr Nagaraj will succeed G.Somashekara Reddy, former BJP MLA and brother of former Minster G.Janardhana Reddy.
A meeting chaired by Cooperation Minister H.S. Mahadeva Prasad on Wednesday unanimously elected Mr Nagaraj for the post of the Chairman of the KMF, largest cooperative dairy federation in South India, owned and managed by milk producers of Karnataka.
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KMF Managing Director A.S.Premanath and Law Minister T.B. Jayachnadra attended the meeting. In a compromise formula worked out by the Minister, it has been agreed upon that M.P. Ravindra, Congress MLA from Harappanahalli in Davanagere, would succeed Mr Nagaraj after two years for the remaining three year period. Mr Ravindra is son of former Deputy Chief Minister the late M.P.Prakash. He defeated former Revenue Minster G.Karunakara Reddy in the 2013 Assembly elections.
Mr Nagaraj will formally file his nomination papers at the KMF headquarters located at M.H. Marigowda road in the City, which is a formality before he is officially named chairperson.
There are 11 directors in KMF and Mr Nagaraj has the backing of nine directors of the Congress. Mr Nagaraj’s candidature was also supported by a section of Congress led by Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too reportedly supported Mr Nagaraj’s nomination to the post of the Chairman since he had support of nine directors, sources said.
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Mr Mahadeva Prasad has backed the candidature of Mr Ravindra, who was nominated director of the KMF from the Bellary-Koppal-Raichur Milk union.
“Development of KMF is our main objective and there are no differences among us,” Mr Prasad told presspersons after the meeting.
KMF is owned and managed by milk producers of Karnataka State. KMF has over 2.27 million milk producers in over 12,474 Dairy Cooperative Societies at village level, functioning under 13 District Cooperative Milk Unions in the State.
The mission of the KMF is to usher rural prosperity through dairy development. During the last four decades it has brought out a variety of dairy milk products under ‘Nandini’ brand name.
Earlier, former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, former Minister H.D. Revanna, and former MLA G.Somashekara Reddy served as the chairman of the KMF.