Amul managing director RS Sodhi ousted; Jayenbhai Mehta gets interim charge
Ahmedabad/ New Delhi (PTI): In a sudden development, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF), which markets its products under the brand name 'Amul', on Monday ousted its long-serving Managing Director R S Sodhi but did not give any reason.
However, Sodhi said he had requested the federation's board to relieve him of his duties.
The federation's Chief Operating Officer Jayenbhai Mehta has been given the interim charge of the Managing Director (MD).
Sodhi, who has been associated with the federation for more than four decades, put in his papers soon after the board asked him to relinquish the charge.
While the reason for the sudden move could not be immediately ascertained, Sodhi said he was on an extension and had requested the board to relieve him from the responsibility of the MD.
At the federation's board meeting held at the premises of AmulFed dairy in Gandhinagar on Monday, it was decided to end the services of Sodhi.
"As per the resolution no.2 of the board meeting, it was proposed to end your service as the federation's MD with immediate effect. Thus, you are hereby directed to relinquish your charge as MD with immediate effect and hand it over to federation COO, Jayenbhai Mehta," according to a communication sent by the board to Sodhi.
The communication was signed by the federation's chairman Shamalbhai Patel and Vice Chairman Valamjibhai Humbal.
Sodhi said he is "very happy" with the federation's decision and refuted some reports which suggested that he has been "sacked" and his office has been "sealed".
"My term as MD ended two years back and I was on extension. I had requested the board to relieve me from this responsibility. The board had told me to wait for some time saying they will relieve me once they find a suitable replacement" Sodhi told reporters.
"When I again requested the GCMMF board to relieve me, they finally accepted my request and relieved me today. It was my own decision to step down and I am very happy today" he said.
When Sodhi took over as MD, the federation's turnover was only Rs 9,774 crore in the 2010-11 fiscal. It touched Rs 61,000 crore in 2021-22 financial year.
Sodhi, who has been working with the federation for more than 40 years, served as the MD for 12 years.
He was first appointed as MD in 2010 for five years. In 2015, he was re-appointed to the same post till 2020. Since then, he has been on an extension.
Sodhi did his MBA from the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and started his career as a manager with the federation.
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If INDIA bloc was only for parliamentary polls, better wind it up: Omar Abdullah
Jammu (PTI): Asserting that there was no time limit attached to the INDIA bloc, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday expressed dismay over the lack of clarity regarding its leadership and agenda, saying the alliance should be wound up if it was meant only for the parliamentary elections.
Abdullah said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and other political parties on the ground will decide how to effectively compete with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"After the Assembly elections in Delhi, they should call all the alliance members for a meeting. If this alliance was only for the parliamentary elections, it should be wound up, and we will work separately. But if it is meant for Assembly elections as well, we will have to sit together and work collectively," Abdullah told reporters here.
The National Conference leader was replying to a question about an RJD leader's statement that the INDIA bloc was meant only for Lok Sabha elections.
"As far as I remember, no time limit was set for this. The issue is that no meeting of the INDIA bloc is being convened," he said.
Claiming that there is no clarity regarding the main leadership, the party, or the agenda for future strategy (in the INDIA bloc), he said, "Whether this alliance will continue is also unclear."
Abdullah also said that perhaps the members of the INDIA bloc will be called for a meeting after the Delhi elections, and a clarity would emerge.
Replying to another query on increasing support for AAP ahead of next month's Delhi elections, Abdullah said, "I cannot say anything about this at the moment because we have no involvement with Delhi polls. The Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, and other political parties on the ground will decide how to compete with the BJP strongly."
Stating that AAP succeeded twice in Delhi previously, Abdullah said, "This time, we will have to wait and see what the people of Delhi decide."
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is convening an orientation programme here on Thursday for the newly-elected legislators.
"Many of us have been members of this House before, but that was when Jammu and Kashmir was a state. The system is different today. We need to understand how we are going to work and what the powers of this Assembly are," Abdullah said.
The chief minister also said that to familiarise everyone with the procedures of this system, the speaker has organised the orientation programme.
"The deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha also participated in this exercise. I believe the experience of the senior members will prove beneficial. In the upcoming sessions, the MLAs will represent the people better and raise their issues effectively," he added.
