NCP’s Shinde loses Satara coop bank polls; supporters ransack office

Angry supporters of NCP legislator Shashikant Shinde hurled stones at the party office in Satara, after Shinde lost a poll for the post of director on the board of the Satara coop bank, results for which were declared on Tuesday

PUNE Angry supporters of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislator Shashikant Shinde hurled stones at the party office in western Maharashtra’s Satara, after Shinde lost a poll for the post of director on the board of the Satara District Cooperative Bank, results for which were declared on Tuesday.

Angry supporters of NCP legislator Shashikant Shinde hurled stones at the party office in Satara, after Shinde lost a poll for the post of director on the board of the Satara coop bank, results for which were declared on Tuesday. (HT PHOTO)

Shinde lost by one vote to NCP rebel Dyandev Ranjane and as the news spread, a group of Shinde supporters reached the NCP office in Satara city and pelted stones, police said.

Satara superintendent of police Ajay Kumar Shinde said about seven to eight Shinde supporters were detained.

Shinde, a member of the Maharashtra legislative council, and loyal to deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, later apologised for his supporters’ actions, saying he was a committed worker of the NCP and its chief Sharad Pawar.

“I apologise for whatever has happened as workers reacted in an emotional outburst. I appeal [to] my supporters to exercise restraint. I lost the polls by a margin of one vote. There was a conspiracy behind my defeat and it will be exposed in the coming days. At the same time, I was a bit lax during the polls which cost me dearly. However, I must clarify that for me, NCP, Sharad Pawar, and Ajit Pawar are everything,” said Shinde.

Post victory, Ranjane expressed gratitude to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA, Shivendraraje Bhosale, for his support.

Besides Shinde, Shiv Sena leader and minister of state for home, Shambhuraje Desai too suffered a loss. Desai was defeated by former minister Vikramsingh Patankar’s son Satyajit Patankar.