The apex body of UCBs-Nafcub’s newly elected board directors sprang a surprise and announced Delhi’s Kangra Cooperative Bank Chairman Laxmi Das as the new President of Nafcub.
Das has replaced Jyotindra Mehta, a heavy weight cooperator from Gujarat. Sources said that Mehta was the universal choice but he himself did not want saying that he had already completed his two terms.
Besides, Uttar Bharat Urban Cooperative Banks Federation’s Director Mudit Verma and Cosmos Cooperative Bank Chairman Milind Kale have been elected as the two Vice-Presidents of Nafcub, in an election held today on Tuesday.
Soon after the election, talking to the Indian Cooperative, Das said, “I was not aware of my elevation. I was surprised when I heard that I will be the Nafcub’s new President. It’s big news for me”, he said.
Das said that Mehta had started many new things for the UCB sector. The two of them Mehta and Patil are indeed assets for the sector and the new team led by me, would be just a continuation of their efforts.
“I will work together with the Jyotindra Mehta-HK Patil team to take the urban cooperative banking sector to newer heights. We together will fulfil all the hopes of the UCB sector”, said a mild mannered Laxmi Das.
“Till this morning all of us except perhaps Mehta and Patil believed that Mehta is going to be the President. But Mehta saheb declined the offer saying that he would like to focus on the Umbrella Organization. We all had to bow to his decision”, said Das on the phone .
It indeed goes to the credit of the cooperative spirit that a cooperator with the Congress background, was chosen as the President. Laxmi Das, a well known face in Delhi’s cooperative circles is a known Gandhian.
The Indian Cooperative has gathered that the entire board led by H K Patil was of the view that Jyotindra Mehta should continue for another term. Some of the Board members had even sought legal opinion in the matter.
But talking to the Indian Cooperative , Mehta himself sounded not enthusiastic. He said that he does not want to be the one to set a wrong precedent as the legalities of the matter would have taken time to sink in among dissenters.
Besides, I want to focus on the Umbrella Organization which would put the entire UCB sector in a higher orbit. With the routine of the president behind me, I can focus more constructively on the project, he opined.
Das was also chosen, as the Board felt that among the seasoned cooperators, he was the senior most. Mild mannered and wrapped in white Kurta Pyjama often, Das is a quintessential co-operator of the old school.
It bears recall that in the election of Nafcub, the Mehta-Patil panel won all the 19 seats.
The newly elected directors of the Nafcub board are Jyotindra Mehta, HK Patil, Ajay Bramhecha, Adv K Jayavarma, Vemireddy Narasimha Reddy, OP Sharma, Rambabu Shandilya, Uday Joshi Kantibhai Patel, Alka Srivastava, Chalasani Raghavendra Rao, K Kalappa, Gautambhai Vyas, Gianchand Gard, Kanjibhai Bhalala and A.M. Hindasgeri.
(With input from Ajay Jha)
