Kurien

New Delhi, April 17: The rehabilitation of Verghese Kurien continues after his resignation from the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, with HRD minister Arjun Singh now appointing him chancellor of Allahabad University.

After Kurien quit the federation’s chairmanship in late March to pre-empt an ouster, he had last week been made adviser of India’s largest dairy, the Mehsana Dairy, giving him a toehold in the federation.

The university chancellorship ? a five-year honorary post with little administrative responsibilities ? could add to his status and strengthen his hand at a time when many believe the last hasn’t been heard of his battle against his federation opponents.

Many see in Arjun’s move an attempt to get back at Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, believed to have played a role in the revolt against Kurien in the federation.

Modi and Kurien had had a spat at a krishi mela (agricultural fair) two years ago, and the tension between them was never resolved.

Some believe Kurien has been close to the Congress and that this was one of the reasons why his opponents wanted him out of the federation. But sources dismissed the claim, saying it was office politics that powered Kurien’s exit, and that some of the colleagues gunning for him were Congress members.

Kurien’s staunchest critic was Amrita Patel, chairperson of the National Dairy Development Board, a former prot?g? who was fed up with her mentor’s style of functioning.

Just before he stepped down, Kurien had written to top Congress leaders such as Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and P. Chidambaram, asking Patel be sacked for alleged rule violations.

The letters ? one was sent also to agriculture minister and NCP leader Sharad Pawar ? demanded a high-level inquiry against Patel.

Kurien, who clearly has access to the higher echelons of the UPA government, has made it clear he hasn’t given up his fight with his enemies in the Gujarat dairy scene. The chancellor’s job will not take up too much of his time, for most administrative responsibilities rest with the vice-chancellor.

Kurien and Patel had fallen out over marketing strategies. Their rivalry was played out in public last year when Kurien, in his capacity of chairman of the Institute of Rural Management, Anand, sacked its director, V. Pratap Reddy, and appointed L.K. Vasvani in his place. Patel gathered her supporters and demonstrated at the institute’s convocation.