State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vice-president and former Ahilyanagar Lok Sabha member Sujay Vikhe Patil is likely to become the next chairman of the cash-rich Ahilyanagar District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank, with Congress leaders reportedly backing his candidature despite the party winning the highest number of seats in the recent elections.
The bank’s vice-chairman’s post is likely to go to the Congress, with Ranjitsinh Deshmukh, who was elected unopposed, emerging as the frontrunner. Sujay is the son of BJP cabinet minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. “Thorat believes Sujay should head the bank as he played a key role in convincing several senior politicians, including MLAs, to avoid elections in view of the drought situation.
A senior Congress functionary said former state Congress president Balasaheb Thorat favoured Sujay for the chairman’s post, citing his efforts to ensure an electoral understanding among influential political leaders in the district. He also oversaw campaigning in constituencies where polls were held,” the Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.
A panel backed by Maharashtra Legislative Council chairman Ram Shinde won two seats, while the panel led by NCP (SP) MP Nilesh Lanke secured one seat. The Thorat-Vikhe panel comprised 12 Congress and six BJP candidates.
Thorat, however, said no formal decision had been taken on the chairman and vice-chairman’s posts. “Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will also have to be taken into confidence on the issue,” he said.
