Mr Dilip Singh Sanghani is the new Chairman of the apex national body of cooperative banks NAFSCOB, election for which was held Monday in Mumbai. He was unanimously elected while another green horn Ramesh Chaubey of Bihar State Cooperative Bank bagged the post of vice-chairman.
Sanghani who had been a Minister in the Gujarat government is a well-known cooperator and is said to have enjoyed the blessings of the BJP govt at the centre. Chaubey, on the other hand, had the backing of Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Singh.
Bijender Singh the outgoing Chairman of NAFSCOB is said to be the real king-maker whom the elected Board members had entrusted to name the persons for the top posts on a consensus formula. Singh ruled NAFSCOB for the last 10 years and the bye-laws did not permit him to fight for a third-time.
Talking to Indian Cooperative Bijender Singh said “as was the case with Nafed so is with NAFSCOB; I cannot become chairman for a third term”. Bijender and team chose a harmless malleable V R Patel as the Chairman of NAFED and in the case of NAFSCOB Dilip Singh Sanghani.
Singh who is a hard-boiled cooperator refused to divulge the logic behind his choice. Talking to Indian Cooperative Bijender said ‘as the members left me to decide I did what was best in the interest of the apex cooperative body”, he said.
NAFSCOB represents the cooperative banks of the country and tries to solve their practical issues with the regulator NABARD. It had strongly protested the Nabard’s attempts to convert PACS into Business Correspondents.
Thanking both Sunil Singh and Bijender Singh Ramesh Chaubey-the newly eleted vice-chairman said ”it was because 
Meanwhile, Mr Bhima Subramaniyam, Managing Director of NAFSCOB has been granted extension for one more year. The AGM and the Board meeting of the newly elected members took place in Mumbai on Monday which saw elevation of both Singhani and Chaubey to the top posts.