Anand, June 30 (IANS) B.M. Vyas Wednesday retired as managing director of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets Amul.

His retirement after remaining at the helm of the milk cooperative for 16 years brought down the curtains on an acrimony-filled tug of war with GCMMF Chairman Parthi Bhatol.

The stage is now set for selection of his successor, who must now take the cooperative’s annual turnover to Rs.10,000 crore from the existing Rs.8,000 crore.

Chief General Manager R.S. Sodhi is officiating as the managing director.

The clock seemed to have turned full circle for Vyas, a protege of V. Kurien. He had cast his lot with the anti-Kurien lobby in 2006 leading to the ouster of the father of the milk revolution in India from the GCMMF.

Following differences with the present chairman, basically over the appointment of auditors, Vyas had sent in his resignation on April 29, requesting Bhatol to relieve him from the post on completion of his five year contract.

On June 11, Mr Bhatol had accepted the resignation ‘with immediate effect’ and appointed Sodhi as in-charge.

As per rules, the resignation was to be ratified by the Board at its proposed meeting Wednesday which did not take place because eight out of 13 directors of GCMMF, who were affiliated to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), decided to keep away from the meeting.