Bengaluru, Karnataka
Amul vs Nandini – The political controversy between two giant milk brands—Amul and Nandini—has flared up once again in Karnataka as the Congress-controlled state government permitted Amul, based in Gujarat, to run kiosks at ten Bengaluru Metro stations. The decision has caused a new wave of outrage from opposition parties, particularly the Janata Dal (Secular), who allege the ruling party is ignoring Karnataka’s indigenous dairy pride, Nandini.
The issue, which earlier turned into a contentious contest during the 2023 state Assembly polls, has cropped up again with similar vigor. The focus of the controversy is on the decision by the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to allow Amul to install milk product kiosks at metro rail stations. Amul, BMRCL claims, was the lone firm that bid for the tender invited for this project.
But this explanation has not been satisfactory to the opposition. JD(S), in a visibly indignant tweet on X (formerly Twitter), charged Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and the Congress government with turning their backs on Nandini, a brand owned by the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF), after riding its popularity in the elections. The tweet had the hashtag #SaveNandini and charged that Mr. Shivakumar had “sold his self-respect for commission.”
“Earlier, DK used to say Kannadigas’ pride is not for sale. Now, they’ve sold more than 10 Metro stations for selling products of another state. They used Nandini for elections and dumped it after the elections,” the JD(S) alleged in its release.
The Nandini brand has traditionally been identified with Karnataka’s rural economy and dairy farmers. The brand is perceived by many Kannadigas as being more than a dairy brand—it’s an icon of local pride, self-sufficiency, and farmer empowerment. Therefore, any shift interpreted to be at the expense of an “outsider” brand such as Amul has usually met severe resistance, especially from regional parties and farmer associations.
Deputy CM Shivakumar deflected the criticism by stating that Amul was the sole bidder for the tender to set up a Metro kiosk. “Amul was the sole applicant when the tender was floated,” he declared. But considering the mood on the matter, he made an atoning announcement. The Karnataka Milk Federation would be permitted to open Nandini outlets in eight out of the ten stations. The rest of the two outlets already running under Amul would remain, since closing them was considered “inappropriate,” he added.
He also said instructions had been given for KMF to make its application for kiosk allotment to the BMRCL.
This is not the first time that the Amul vs Nandini issue has set off political waves in Karnataka. In the run-up to the 2023 elections, the then-BJP state government was accused of promoting Amul at the cost of Nandini, triggering protests and public outcry. Congress picked up on that agenda in its campaign, vowing to promote and defend local brands such as Nandini. That sentiment deeply resonated with people and was attributed, in part, to the party’s big victory in the polls.
Now, with Congress in power, the tables have turned. The opposition is using the same issue to target the ruling party, accusing it of betraying its pre-election promises and undermining local interests.
This fresh controversy highlights a larger issue: the balance between free market practices and regional brand protection. While national brands such as Amul look to widen their footprint, the emotional and economic affinity locals have with brands such as Nandini continues to shape political discourse in Karnataka.
While the two brands go about their business and political parties make this dairy battle a rallying point, the actual worry persists—the question of whether Karnataka’s dairy farmers and local companies are receiving the help they deserve in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
