Chandra Pal Singh Yadav who led the cooperative movement of the country from the front in his role as NCUI President was given a warm send off on the day NCUI elected a new President in Dileep Sanghani.
Yadav headed the apex body as its President for a decade. Lauded as a peace-maker who would find solutions to the ticklish ego-clashes of co-operators, Chandra Pal was rated high for his never-say-die cooperative spirit.
In the first board meeting of the newly elected GC, Directors remembered his “sabka-saath” leadership style. While Bijender Singh, his closest associate asked him to guide NCUI as he did in the past, the newly elected President Sanghani informed everyone that he had already taken a promise from Chandra Pal to continue to guide NCUI.
“Being an international cooperative leader and being the Vice-Chairman of ICA’s Asia-Pacific regional office, your role both at national and global level will not shrink”, said Bijender who has been re-elected the Vice-President of NCUI along with K Sivsadan Nair.
Though soft and mild in his disposition, Chandra Pal could not be confused with someone whom one can take for a ride, said one of his friends. First, he tries to comprehend an issue and then develops his own interpretation which nobody can alter, he stated.
Chandra Pal is also a leader who keeps political loyalties on the shelf when it comes to cooperatives. “For the sake of cooperatives, he could unite with adversaries and fight against his own party men. Bijender Singh, his closest ally is a Congressman and yet Chandra Pal puts his total trust in him”, they said.
Not only that, it was Chandra Pal who was instrumental to an extent in the choice of Sanghani to replace him as NCUI President. Sanghnai is a well-known BJP leader and yet Chandra Pal chose him”, his friends underline.
Chandra Pal’s 10 year’ tenure at NCUI was marked by lack of any major controversies. His habit of listening to people and sticking to the rule-book insulated him from many controversies.
His only regret was that he could not stop the delinking of NCCT from NCUI. He became a victim of a coup from some of his own men who kept digging the grave while he remained unaware of all such dubious moves. Chandra Pal went on supporting the same set of people in good faith.
But his biggest satisfaction was the election of Dileep Sanghani. Talking to Indian Cooperative he said “I am happy to leave the reins of NCUI to the most competent co-operator in the county.” Though he did not say so in so many words, it was obvious he wanted Sanghani to get back NCCT for NCUI using his political clout.
Though he is no more the NCUI’s President, Chandra Pal would continue to dominate the country’s cooperative scene. Besides being on the Board of the apex body, he is the Chairman of Kribhco. He is also Vice-President of ICA A-P. He is a board member of a host of national level co-op federations including Nafed.
Indian Cooperative wishes him good luck!
