Karra Rajashekar Panel Wins Karimnagar Urban Cooperative Bank Elections
Bandi says three out of nine victorious members of the panel are from BJP
KARIMNAGAR: A panel led by veteran Congress leader and former chairman Karra Rajashekar achieved a landslide victory in the highly-competitive Karimnagar Cooperative Urban Bank elections, defeating two panels headed by other local Congress leaders. The election exposed the deep-seated factionalism within the district unit of the Congress.
The polling was conducted on Saturday, following a high-pitched canvassing that resembled a general election campaign. The counting of votes continued until midnight.
Rajashekar faced off against the panel led by Moola Venkata Ravinder Reddy, backed by the Congress Parliamentary in-charge Velichala Rajendar Rao, and a third group headed by another former chairman, Gaddam Vilas Reddy.
Out of the 12 director positions, Rajashekar’s panel secured nine seats, while one independent candidate also won, establishing a clear mandate to govern the institution. Ravinder Reddy’s group won two seats, while Vilas Reddy’s panel drew a blank.
Sources attributed Rajashekar’s victory to his ability to garner support from members associated with rival parties, particularly the BJP and the BRS, underscoring the fluid political dynamics at the local cooperative level, where individual loyalty often outweighs state-level party lines.
Out of nine seats that Rajashekar’s panel won, Union minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar said three members were affiliated to the BJP. While congratulating the victorious panel, the Union minister assured the central government’s full cooperation with the new board — a gesture that further highlighted the political significance of the bank’s management.
With the 12-member board now constituted, the next crucial step will be the internal election for the key posts of chairman and vice-chairman. Given his panel’s commanding nine-seat majority, Karra Rajashekar is now the undisputed frontrunner for the chairman’s position, poised to reclaim the bank’s top leadership role and steer its future course.
