Shinde camp challenges Fadnavis loyalists in Mumbai Bank election

Riding high on a strong performance in the recent Thane-Palghar cooperative bank polls, where Shinde's party contested independently and secured five seats, the camp, with MP Shrikant Shinde at the forefront, is now making a calculated push to expand its footprint across Mumbai's powerful cooperative network.

Currently, the 20-director board of Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank (MDCCB), also known as the Mumbai Bank, is firmly controlled by Fadnavis’s inner circle, led by BJP MLC and Bank Chairman Pravin Darekar, whose Sahakar Panel achieved a clean sweep in 2021.

Key directors on the board include BJP MLC Prasad Lad, Prakash Darekar, Tejasvee Ghosalkar (BJP corporator and widow of late Shiv Sena UBT leader Abhishek Ghosalkar), and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Raut.

By fielding its own candidates, the Shinde camp is directly challenging the BJP’s long-standing dominance over the institution.

This clash represents far more than a routine boardroom election. In Maharashtra, cooperative banks function as foundational political powerhouses that shape localised influence, loan disbursals and voter networks.

MDCCB has massive working capital of Rs 10,282 crore, with outstanding loans and advances of nearly Rs 6,437 crore, while disbursing more than Rs 600–700 crore in annual loans.

Beyond managing government employee salaries, pensions and public-sector deposits, the bank serves as the primary financial engine for multi-crore self-redevelopment projects across suburban housing societies.

Controlling these approvals can build direct, long-term loyalty among middle-class urban voters.

While Shinde and Fadnavis continue to share power smoothly at the state ministry level in Mantralaya, this high-stakes contest reveals a quiet, behind-the-scenes power struggle.

Both allies are vying to secure critical financial leverage and grassroots momentum ahead of the crucial upcoming local body elections.