There was resentment in the BJP circles against Ashok Dabas, the newly elected Director of apex body of labour cooperative NLCF. Dabas, an avowed BJP man was accused of weakening the party’s toehold in cooperative politics by siding with Sanjiv Kushalkar-the man who treats the politics of labor cooperative as a family enterprise.
The story had its genesis in the fact that the BJP Kisan Morcha leader and Nafed government nominee Ashok Thakur also picked up the gauntlet and decided to contest for a berth on the NLCF board. But he chose a wrong panel. Thakur sided with VPP Nair who was challenging the supremacy of Kushalkar without the political heft. This meant the two BJP leaders-Dabas and Thakur opposed each other.
Thakur is believed to have complained before Shyam Jaju, BJP Vice-President, entrusted with the job of overseeing BJP’s growth among different cooperative bodies. Thakur accused Dabas of sacrificing the Party interest for petty personal gains.
Jaju is believed to have called the two warring BJP cooperators to know the truth. In the meeting Dabas is believed to have explained how BJP stands no chance as Kushalkar has a tremendous hold on delegates. “I told Shri Jaju that if you wish I can bow out of race but it is not possible for me not to support him -Kushalkar if I win from his Panel”, Dabas shared with this correspondent.
Dabas also said that it was due to his efforts that even Kushalkar whose father and brother were in Congress joined BJP in 2015. “There is a documentary evidence to prove this”, he added. See the paradox while I am trying to strengthen the party I am being summoned for weakening it, he lamented.
But Dabas had no words when it was pointed out that how come BJP as a party supports somebody who has made a joke of cooperative politics by hand-picking his wife for the top post. Did he not develop a single friend all these years whom he could have got elected as the Chairman, this question went unanswered from Dabas.
It bears recall that the Kushalkar panel won the election of National Labor Cooperative Federation hands down annexing the posts of chairperson and two vice presidents. Avili Mighito Awomi, believed to be the second wife of the outgoing Chairman Sanjeev Kushalkar was elected as the Chairperson. Kushalkar detractors described it as “Kushalkar doing a Lalu in labour cooperative politics”. They recalled how Lalu Yadav made Rabri Devi the Chief Minister of Bihar when he himself was barred by the provisions of law.
Meanwhile, Ashok Thakur made a fool of himself by joining the race as he came a cropper at the vote. Thakur got zero vote, declared the Returning Officer. “It was pathetic for a leader who represents the BJP Kisan Morcha in Delhi”, quipped a cooperator
