Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is preparing to contest the election for the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank (MDCCB), also known as the Mumbai Bank, in what will develop into another tussle with its Mahayuti ally, the BJP.
The Mumbai Bank chairman is MLA Pravin Darekar and one of the directors is MLC Prasad Lad, both considered close aides of CM Devendra Fadnavis.
After a resounding victory in the Thane-Palghar District Central Cooperative Bank elections held a couple of months ago where the Eknath Shinde-backed Sahakar panel which had members from the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi won comfortably, winning 16 out of 21 director posts, now Shiv Sena wants to explore the Mumbai Bank too.
“Yes, we are going to contest the Mumbai bank election. We will contest in all categories individually,” Amey Ghole, corporator, Shiv Sena told ThePrint.
“It is not that we are challenging the BJP. In Thane Cooperative Bank election, we had few members from the BJP in our panel as well. So it is not that we are going against the BJP. Even Shiv Sena has the right to contest elections when we have the candidates,” Ghole added.
The election will be fought under the leadership of MP Shrikant Shinde. Confirming this, deputy chairperson of Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha Sachin Ahir told the media, “Preparations are underway under the leadership of Shrikant Shinde. Panel is being prepared. There is a lot to be done in Mumbai Bank and we will try to win it.”
However, this has not gone down well with the BJP.
Speaking to the media Monday, Pravin Darekar said, “Our priority is to contest any election as Mahayuti. But if some people are in a hurry, we can’t help it. Under my leadership and guidance of Devendra Fadnavis, we have implemented many good schemes in Mumbai Bank and few people are jealous of that. They are hence trying to create misunderstanding and pollute the environment.”
The election is slated to be held later in December or January.
The MDCCB has a working capital of Rs 10,282 crore, with outstanding loans and advances of nearly Rs 6,437 crore, while disbursing more than Rs 600–700 crore in annual loans. It has 50 branches across the city.
The Mumbai bank is much valued as it gives loans for the real estate sector in the city, especially to those housing societies that are planning redevelopment. This helps them extend their direct influence over housing societies and ALMs in Mumbai. Besides, the bank also has government employees’ salary accounts, pensions, loans among other things.
The rivalry
The tension between Fadnavis and Shinde is not new. Last week, Shinde indicated that after Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s tenure is over in BMC after 2.5 years, Shiv Sena will have its own Mayor for 1.25 years, a claim on which the BJP chose to remain silent.
Speaking to the media, cabinet minister and BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, “If he has said this off record, then I won’t want to comment on this claim. When we decide on this formally, we will announce it.”
But according to Shiv Sena sources, Shiv Sena is now trying to increase the number of corporators and MLAs by once again activating Operation Tiger in the state.
“Nearly 14 Shiv Sena UBT MLAs are in talks with us. In the future, many will switch sides and so will the corporators in BMC,” a Shiv Sena leader told ThePrint.
In another instance, Devendra Fadnavis had overturned a decision made by transport minister and Shiv Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik over Marathi language for auto and taxi drivers. Sarnaik had given auto and taxi drivers time till 15 August to learn basic Marathi but then Fadnavis extended that deadline for a year.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: End of Mahayuti’s tug-of-war for guardianship. NCP loses out as Sena gets Raigad, BJP Nashik