BJP, Congress-backed candidates join hands to gain control of Thane cooperative bank

Thane, Jul 12 (PTI) BJP-backed candidates and those supported by staunch rival Congress have secured control of the Thane District Central Co-operative Bank Ltd. in Maharashtra, stitching up an unusual arrangement. Arun Patil, who had the support of the BJP, was elected as the chairman, while Bhagyashree Bhoir, backed by Congress, was chosen unopposed as the vice-chairperson, Returning Officer Amar Shinde announced on Saturday. Arun Patil secured 14 votes, defeating Manish Patil of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA), who polled seven votes. This loss is viewed as a setback for BVA chief Hitendra Thakur, as Manish Patil, son of former bank chairman Rajendra Patil, is considered his loyalist. Initially, the board of directors comprised 16 members from the Sahakar panel, which was supported by the BJP, Shiv Sena and BVA, and five from the Parivartan panel, propped up by another BJP group. Despite internal rifts within the BJP before the polls, the party united just in time to clear the way for Arun Patil’s victory with the help of Congress-backed candidates. The arrangement also ensured that Congress-supported Bhoir became the vice-chairperson without a contest. Chairman Patil said that all directors would work collectively for the bank’s development and farmers’ welfare. According to Bhoir, her unopposed election marks a comeback for the Congress in the bank’s administration. PTI COR NR