Gokul Polls: How Bunty Patil’s Panel Challenged Mahayuti’s Influence in Kolhapur

Kolhapur, 20th October 2026: In a significant setback to the ruling Mahayuti alliance, the panel led by Congress MLC Satej alias Bunty Patil won 13 of the 25 seats in the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union, popularly known as Gokul. The Mahayuti-backed Rajarshi Shahu Vikas Aghadi managed to secure only nine seats.

The result marks a setback for the ruling alliance, which had made the election a prestige battle, with senior state ministers, MPs and local legislators campaigning for its candidates. Patil, meanwhile, led the opposition Samvichari Aghadi’s campaign, seeking to challenge the ruling bloc’s influence over the cooperative body.

The contest saw a shift in the counting trends. The Mahayuti-backed panel initially led in the first 1,650 votes counted out of 5,414. However, the Samvichari Aghadi gained ground later in the day, drawing support from areas including Hatkanangale, Shirol and Panhala.

One of the biggest setbacks for the ruling alliance was the defeat of Naved Mushrif, son of state medical education minister Hasan Mushrif and the outgoing Gokul chairman. He lost the OBC category contest to Samvichari Aghadi candidate Shashikant Khot by 69 votes.

Former Gokul chairpersons Arun Dongale and Vishwas Patil also lost the election. Shoumika Mahadik, who had led the opposition in the previous term, suffered a narrow defeat by just seven votes, making her contest one of the closest in the election.

The result has strengthened Patil’s position in the district’s cooperative politics. Despite the involvement of senior Mahayuti leaders, including the state’s top leadership, his panel secured a majority among the voters who elect the union’s directors.

During the campaign, Patil had predicted that a “silent bomb” would go off in Gokul, a remark that gained renewed attention after the results were declared.

The election was also marked by allegations that voters were subjected to pressure, including claims of rituals and public oaths in the name of deities. Some members had objected to these practices, arguing that voters should be free to exercise their choice. The outcome has prompted opposition leaders to question the Mahayuti’s confidence during the campaign.

On polling day, state higher and technical education minister Chandrakant Patil had expressed confidence that the Mahayuti would win all 25 seats. The final tally, however, gave the opposition panel a clear majority.

Gokul is among Maharashtra’s largest cooperative milk unions and occupies a central place in Kolhapur’s political and rural economy. The election was closely watched as a test of the Mahayuti’s influence in the district and Patil’s ability to consolidate support among cooperative voters.