Mahayuti has wrested control of the Yavatmal District Central Cooperative Bank from Congress, ending the party’s 26-year hold over the institution. The development marks a significant political shift in Maharashtra’s cooperative banking sector, media reports say.
The Mahayuti-backed Baliraja Sahakar Panel won 16 of the 25 board seats, securing a clear majority. Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MP Sanjay Deshmukh was subsequently elected unopposed as the bank’s president, marking the first time a Shiv Sena leader has occupied the post.
BJP’s Nitin Bhutada and Nationalist Congress Party’s Vijay Jadhav were elected vice-presidents, ensuring representation for all three Mahayuti constituents in the bank’s leadership.
The change of guard follows the panel’s victory in the board elections and reflects the ruling alliance’s growing influence in the district’s cooperative sector.
The new management faces major challenges, including improving the bank’s financial health, reducing non-performing assets and ensuring timely crop loans for farmers.
