Last Board meeting of National Consumer Cooperative Federation (NCCF) was stormy with several board members objecting to presence of some officials close to Chairman Virendra Singh.
The trio of Chandra Pal Singh, NCUI President, Bijender Singh, Nafed Chairman and Vishal Singh, Vice President of NCCF opposed the presence of Mr T T Adhikari, Mr Singhal and Mr B P Kalia.
These officials, according to sources were not only asked to leave the office but their services are to be terminated by 31st of March. Mr Adhikari is ex-MD of NCCF and had taken VRS earlier. His reappointment as consultant is not permitted by the rules yet his closeness with the Chairman Virendra Singh ensured his appointment.
Mr Singhal was additional Managing Director with NAFED who is said to have been instrumental in getting several onion export parties from Nafed to NCCF. Readers may be aware that NAFED used to be nodal agency for onion export but the rising clout of NCCF under Sharad Pawar protégé Virendra Singh has somewhat shaken its number one position.
Secondly, Nafed’s declining clout has also to do with ghost of tie up loss which continues to haunt the agri cooperative. Many of its key men are still under investigator’s scanner. Sensing an opportunity people like Singhal switched loyalties to emerging consumer federation, NCCF.
NCCF Board members objected the presence of these officials also on the ground that all of them are above 65 years of age.
The board members also objected to other decisions such as sale of NCCF building Vishal Bhavan in Nehru Place. Advertisement for the sale has already been placed in newspapers but the troika of leaders led by Chandra Pal Singh objected to this. According to sources CVO has also objected to this sale but the Chairman went ahead with the plan nevertheless.
Attempts to contact the Chairman of NCCF Mr Virendra Singh failed as he did not pick up the phone.
But the board meeting clearly shows the emerging gap between Virendra Singh and other leaders. It is also being said that NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh wanted to take Vishal Singh on the governing council board of NCUI from NCCF quota but Virendra Singh did not agree to that. Being Chairman, it is his due, says sources.
The fire-work visible in last Board meeting may be result of some old hostilities.