Three prominent elected representatives of Ahilyanagar — state legislative council chairman and MLC Ram Shinde, Ahilyanagar NCP (SP) MP Nilesh Lanke and Akole NCP MLA Kiran Lahamate — have filed their nominations for the forthcoming elections for the 21-member board of directors of the cash-rich Ahilyanagar District Central Cooperative (ADCC) Bank.
The trio’s decision to contest polls is apparently a setback for the district’s political heavyweight and veteran Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat who has taken the lead to ensure that the polls remain uncontested since the district has been hit by drought.
Thorat chaired a meeting of some of the prominent politicians of the district, including MLAs and MLCs, recently where it was decided that the elections should be avoided and consensus candidates be nominated in the bank’s board of directors.
The trio who filed nominations said that there was pressure on them from a large section of the bank’s voters.
“At this juncture we will remain in fray for the polls. But we are open for talks with those wanting to see the polls are uncontested,” they said.
“I had a discussion with Shinde over the phone. I will reach out to all three of them and convince them to withdraw their nominations after the last date of nominations is over on October 5,” Thorat said.
{{/usCountry}}“I had a discussion with Shinde over the phone. I will reach out to all three of them and convince them to withdraw their nominations after the last date of nominations is over on October 5,” Thorat said.
{{/usCountry}}According to Thorat, even in 2021 ADCC polls, he had taken a similar initiative and there were consensus candidates in 17 seats.
The election would take place on November 2 when one member of over 3,800 primary agriculture credit societies (PACS) cast their votes to elect the 21 board members. The farmers are the members of the PACS. The ADDC Bank elections are not fought on party lines.
BJP sources said that Shinde and Lanke are “politically opposed” to Vikhe Patil and are “not keen to have any truck with him in the polls”.
“If they remain in fray, then elections for the three seats from where they contest would take place. There is a possibility that the leaders who do not want polls could field common candidates against the trio,” said a BJP MLA of the district requesting anonymity.