Farmer panel ends BJP’s 20-year control of Gujarat’s largest co-op sugar factory

The BJP in Gujarat suffered a setback in the sugar co‑operative sector as a farmers’ panel swept the elections to the Shree Khedut Sahakari Khand Udyog Mandli Ltd—popularly known as the Bardoli sugar factory—ending the ruling party’s 20‑year dominance over the factory management.

The panel defeated senior leaders, including BJP’s Bardoli MLA Ishvar Parmar. With an annual turnover of Rs 600 crore, the factory in Surat district was founded in 1955 and is Gujarat’s first co-operative sugar factory. It is also reportedly one of the largest co-operative sugar factories in Asia.

The elections to the management committee were held on August 16, and the results were declared on Tuesday. Elections were held for 14 of 15 seats and were contested by the BJP-backed Sahakar Panel and the Kisan Parivartan Panel formed by sugarcane farmers. The Sahakar Panel won only one seat while the remaining 14 went to the farmers’ panel.

The lone seat of the Sahakar Panel was won uncontested by Anil Patel. “The major reason behind our panel’s victory is that voters did not want politics to enter the cooperative sector. The Bardoli sugar mills, which have great importance in the political arena in Surat district, have become a centre for BJP party activities in Surat district.