With Shivpal at helm, kin, friends tighten grip on cooperative sector

After a gap of more than a year since it figured in the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam during the Mayawati regime, the Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders are now eyeing the post of chairman in Processing and Construction Cooperative Federation (PACCFED).

The post of chairman comes with a minister-of-state rank along with a paraphernalia of red beacon vehicle etc. Huge sums are also at the disposal of the chairman as PACCFED is a construction agency. The federation has a post of chairman, vice-chairman and four of its directors are nominated for national-level cooperative organisations.

Already a panel of 13 directors for PACCFED have been elected on Monday. All of them owe allegiance to the ruling party and were elected unopposed. Cooperative Minister Shivpal Yadav personally monitored the election process. All the 13 candidates were called at his official residence — 7, Kalidas Marg. Later, they all proceeded together for filing their nomination papers and were declared elected unopposed. Among the elected directors there are two wards of SP legislators who are also in the reckoning for the post of chairmanship. The final call, however, again rests with Shivpal.

Himanshu Yadav, who is the son of Ashish Yadav, MLA from Shekhupur in Badaun, has also been elected as director of PACCFED. Himanshu's grandfather Banwari Yadav is MLC and close to SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, thus staking his claim for the chairmanship.

Nashi Khan, daughter of Najeeba Khan Zeenat, MLA from Patiyali, Kasganj is also in the consideration for the post. She is the lone Muslim candidate among the directors and is close to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Being a female Najeeba has an edge above all her competitors.

Rajkumar Agrawal, a former MLC has also been elected as director and is lobbying for the post. One Tota Ram Yadav is another candidate in the fray. Hailing from Mulayam's parliamentary constituency Mainpuri, Tota Ram is highlighting his proximity to the Yadav family, even as he is facing opposition from other Yadavs in Mainpuri. In the past, Tota Ram had lost District Development Council (DDC) election in Mainpuri and also fared badly when he contested for the chairmanship of Nagar Palika Parishad in Mainpuri. Due to his hoolinganism, Akhilesh had even snubbed him once. Recently the police had also detained him during the CM's visit to Mainpuri.

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