Following the resignation of veteran cooperator Kaka Koyte on health grounds, senior co-operative leader and former BJP Ratnagiri (South) District President Deepak Patwardhan has been elected unopposed as the Chairman of the Maharashtra Rajya Sahakari Patsanstha Federation (MAFCOCS).
Although noted co-operative leaders Ms Anjali Patil and Shashikant Rajoba were also considered strong contenders for the top post, a consensus eventually emerged in favour of Patwardhan, paving the way for his unanimous election.
Sources familiar with the development said that the role of senior Sahakar Bharati leader Satish Marathe was crucial in ensuring a smooth and consensus-based election. Marathe, along with Kaka Koyte, reportedly consulted members of the Board of Directors and held extensive discussions before arriving at a decision acceptable to all stakeholders.
Meanwhile, Kaka Koyte has been appointed as the Working Chairman.
Speaking to Indian Cooperative after his election, Patwardhan expressed gratitude to the Board of Directors for reposing faith in him.
“I am deeply thankful to all members of the Board of Directors for entrusting me with this important responsibility. I will discharge my duties in the best interests of the Federation and work tirelessly to take the institution to greater heights. This is a proud moment for me,” he said.
Outlining his priorities, Patwardhan stressed the need to strengthen the credit co-operative movement through better governance, education and awareness.
“The credit co-operative movement runs on trust. Patsansthas are governed by their own rules, regulations and co-operative principles. Our focus will be on creating awareness about regulatory compliance, training directors and members, and strengthening institutional governance,” he added.
Patwardhan further said, “The Federation has around 3,000 member credit societies. Maharashtra has nearly 16,000 credit co-operative societies, and my first priority will be to create an authentic database of these institutions.”
A prominent figure in Maharashtra’s co-operative sector, Patwardhan is the founder of Swami Swaroopanand Patsanstha, which has built a business volume exceeding Rs 700 crore. He has also been serving as a director of the Ratnagiri District Central Co-operative Bank for nearly 25 years.
As soon as Patwardhan’s name was announced, congratulatory messages poured in from leaders across the co-operative banking sector. Among those who extended their wishes were NUCFDC President Jyotindra Mehta, Saraswat Bank Chairman Gautam Thakur, SVC Bank Chairman Durgesh Chandavarkar, TJSB Bank Chairman Sharad Gangal, MSC Bank Administrative Board Chairman Vidyadhar Anaskar and NKGSB Bank Chairperson Himangee C. Nadkarni, besides several other prominent co-operative leaders.
Patwardhan’s unanimous election is being viewed as a significant development for Maharashtra’s credit co-operative sector, with stakeholders expecting greater focus on governance reforms, member education and data-driven strengthening of the movement under his leadership.