A year after Milk Row, Karnataka's Nandini Dairy brand gears up for Delhi launch

New Delhi:

Karnataka Milk Federation's dairy products brand, Nandini, will be on sale in the national capital – its first foray into north India markets – from Thursday after a high-profile launch event attended by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The brand will be launched by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the presence of his cabinet, in which Rajya Sabha MP from the state Ms Sitharaman will also be present.

Nandini's entry into Delhi follows the political tussle between the Congress (and its then ally, Janata Dal Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party in April last year. The controversy started with the news that Gujarat-based dairy company Amul was planning to enter the Karnataka market.

The controversy was significant as it occurred less than a month before the Karnataka elections; The Congress and JDS accused the BJP (then in power in the state) of trying to weaken local dairy producers.

The BJP hit back, accusing the Congress of spreading a “misinformation campaign” and insisting it has done more than its rivals to strengthen the local brand.

Read | Amul-Nandini dispute became an emotional issue due to elections: Minister

Ms Sitharaman then came out in support of her party and the plan to bring Amul to Karnataka and said competition would only strengthen both dairy producers.

He also claimed that Amul had actually entered Karnataka when the Congress was in power.

The Amul-Nandini war in Karnataka resumed in June – but this time in Kerala, with the ruling Left Front opposed to the Kannada milk producers pushing the brand in their state.

Read | Months after Amul vs Nandini, milk war between Kerala, Karnataka

That expansion was stopped after a few days.

Read | Karnataka's 'Nandini' brand stops Kerala plans amid milk war

The Nandini brand was also at the center of controversy in the temple town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh after allegations were made that animal fat was used in the ghee used to make laddus.

Read | Karnataka's politics is heated with the color of religion on Nandini Milk

The consignment of ghee in question was distributed by a Tamil Nadu-based company, but Karnataka Milk Federation, which owns the Nandini brand, was dragged into the mess.

This came after then BJP state chief Nalinkumar Kateel accused the Congress of stopping the supply of ghee due to “indifference towards Hindu beliefs and devotion”.

In response, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the supply had stopped 18 months ago.

In June Nandini announced an increase in milk prices by Rs 2 per liter but partially compensated for this by offering customers 50 ml more per litre. This increase was also due to increase in the prices of petrol and diesel.

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