BJP leader Sujay Vikhe Patil is likely to become the chairman of the Ahilyanagar District Central Cooperative Bank. Congress leaders reportedly back his bid after the alliance won 18 of 21 seats on November 2. Newly elected directors will meet on November 12 to decide on the final top leadership positions.
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.
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.
"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. He also oversaw campaigning in constituencies where polls were held," the Congress leader said, requesting anonymity.
The functionary added that Sujay's efforts helped the alliance reach a consensus in 11 constituencies where candidates were elected unopposed.
The two political rivals in Ahilyanagar, Thorat and Vikhe Patil, had joined hands for the bank elections. Their alliance secured a comfortable majority, winning 18 of the 21 director posts in the polls held on November 2.
The Thorat-Vikhe panel comprised 12 Congress and six BJP candidates. 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.
Thorat, however, said no formal decision had been taken on the chairman and vice-chairman's posts.
"The newly elected directors will meet on November 12 and decide on the candidates for the two top positions," he said.
Sujay denied being the frontrunner for the chairman's post, saying the decision would be taken by Thorat and his father, Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil.
"Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will also have to be taken into confidence on the issue," he said.