Pawar proves his clout with Maharashtra sugar barons

Former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar is trying to regain full control over sugar co-operatives in the state, following the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government's gameplan to break the state Congress's backbone by weakening or splitting the sugar lobby.

As part of his strategy, Pawar organised a meeting of 40 out of the 50 directors of the co-operatives at Yashwantrao Chavan Pratishthan in Bombay on Sunday. Held a day before the co-operatives's board of directors meeting on Monday, the meeting has proved Pawar's clout among the sugar barons.

Among those who attended the meeting are: Sugar Co-operatives Union chairman Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, leader of the Opposition in the legislative assembly Madhukar Pichad, National Co-operative Sugar Factories’s general secretary and Lok Sabha member Shivajirao Giridhar Patil, Maharashtra State Co-operative Bank chairman Vishnuanna Patil and former MP Suryakant Patil.

How successful the Maratha has been in this regard is indicated by the sugar barons's resolve to challenge two state government orders: one pertaining to the minimum sugarcane sale price and the other allowing the alliance to appoint sugar factories's managing directors.

The state sugar commissioner recently issued an order preventing the sugar factories from paying more than the minimum sale price -- Rs 500 to Rs 600 per quintal. However, many sugar factories have been paying Rs 600 to Rs 900.

Asking the sugar factories to ignore the new rules, Pawar briefed the barons on what their approach should be at a meeting with Chief Minister Manohar Joshi on October 3. The meeting has been conveyed to decide the minimum sale price.

Meanwhile, Minister for Co-operation Jayprakash Mundada has said that only a six-member committee comprising five cabinet ministers and the Sugar Co-operatives Union chairman will decide the cane price.

Compiled from the media by Prasanna D Zore