New Delhi: The Sahakar Bharati alliance with the BJP secured a decisive win in the five-year elections for the National Cooperative Union of India board, the top body for the cooperative sector. Ballots were cast on 18 July, and after counting finished on 19 July the alliance took 19 of the 20 seats, a new record. The Central Election Authority will release the official results soon.
Notable victors include Sahakar Bharati patron Deenanath Thakur, IFFCO Chairman Dileepbhai Sanghani, NCDFI Chairman Minesh Shah, KRIBHCO Chairman Bipin Patel, NAFED’s Mohanbhai Kundariya, NCCF Chairman Vishal Singh, Vinay Kumar Shahi, Maharashtra’s Pravin Darekar, Karnataka’s G.T. Devegowda, Manipur’s Jina Potsangbam, Gujarat’s Ghanshyam Amin, Uttar Pradesh’s Dhananjay Singh, Karnataka’s H.K. Patil, Lucknow’s Mudit Verma, Belagavi’s Annasaheb Jolle, and Maharashtra’s Nakul Kadu.
Ten candidates won without opposition. Sahakar Bharati National General Secretary Deepak Chaurasia was named the Government of India representative.
In one tight race, Sahakar Bharati National Vice-President Sunil Gupta ended in a tie and lost after ballot review. BJP MLC Sanjay Bhinde was also defeated.
Cooperative leaders said the new board would raise the standing of the institution and strengthen the movement.
The campaign was guided by Sahakar Bharati National President Dr Uday Joshi, National General Secretary Deepak Chaurasia, patron Deenanath Thakur, Organisation Secretary Sanjay Pachpor, BJP National Organisation General Secretary B.L. Santhosh, and NDDB Vice-Chairman Kuldeep Chehal.
Sahakar Bharati and the BJP Cooperative Cell called the result a step toward better governance, transparency and accountability in cooperatives nationwide.
