The Madhya Pradesh BJP government led by Shivraj Singh Chauhan is planning to appoint their party leaders as administrators in the State Cooperative Bank and District Central Cooperative Banks. The names of several leaders have also been decided.
However, the decision may not be implemented as the Madhya Pradesh unit of Sahakar Bharati has filed a petition in the High Court at Jabalpur for holding elections in cooperatives of the state. The elections have been due for more than five years. It is said the hearing on the matter will take place soon.
A source is quoted as saying the government will appoint Vidisha MP Ramakant Bhargava as administrator in MP State Cooperative Bank. Simultaneously, there are reports from reliable sources that names of BJP leaders have already been finalized for 38 DCCBs in the state.
Sources say Jitendra Rawat, close associate of MP Home Minister Narottam Mishra may be appointed as an administrator in Gwalior DCCB. Besides, Ashok Baghel, a close associate of State Cooperation Minister Arvind Bhadoria, may be appointed as an administrator of Bhind DCCB and Shyam Sunder Sharma in Vidisha DCCB.
Meanwhile, talking to the Indian Cooperative Sahakar Bharati MP Chapter President Narayan Singh said, “We have filed a petition in the Jabalpur High Court for conducting elections in cooperatives. Due to the lawyers’ strike there is a delay on the hearing of the matter but it will be heard soon”.
“The MP State Cooperative Act clearly mentions that the administrator can’t be appointed for more than six months but in the case of apex cooperatives, the maximum period of one year. Otherwise, it will be a breach of law”, he added.
Singh further added, the elections in the co-ops of MP have not been held for more than five years. The administrator in the State Cooperative Housing Union has been there since 2007 whereas in the apex bank, the administrator has been there since 2005, he added on the phone.
