The election to the Multi-State Cooperative Societies constituency of the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) Governing Council produced one of the biggest upsets of the 2026 polls, with Sahakar Bharati-backed Nakul Kadu defeating BJP MLC Sanjay Bhende despite the latter reportedly enjoying the support of senior BJP leaders from Maharashtra and the party’s central leadership.
Kadu emerged as the clear winner, securing 14 votes from the 28-member electoral college. Bhende, who was widely regarded as a strong contender in the run-up to the election, managed 12 votes, falling short of victory in a closely watched contest.
The remaining candidates failed to make any significant impact. G.R. Ravichandran and C.B. Jisso secured one vote each, while the other contestants could not open their accounts.
The outcome is being viewed in cooperative circles as a significant victory for Sahakar Bharati, which performed strongly across several constituencies in the NCUI Governing Council elections.
