THANE: Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde secured a major political victory in the election to the Thane-Palghar District Central Cooperative (DCC) Bank, as the Shinde-backed Sahakar Panel won 16 of the 21 director posts, defeating the Parivartan Panel, which secured five seats.The election turned into a prestige battle after the Parivartan Panel received the backing of Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and former Union minister Kapil Patil. The rival Sahakar Panel was backed by Shinde’s Shiv Sena, BJP MLA Kisan Kathore, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi president Hitendra Thakur, former MLA Kshitij Thakur and MP Balya Mama Mhatre. The result is being seen as a setback for Chavan and Patil, despite BJP MLA Kathore supporting the winning panel.Of the 21 directors, 10 had already been elected unopposed, including eight from the Sahakar Panel. Needing only three more seats to secure a majority, the panel comfortably retained control of the bank after counting on Sunday. Independent candidate Nilesh Sambare retained the Vikramgad seat.Reacting to the result, Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde described it as a significant victory and credited deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde’s electoral strategy for the panel’s success. He thanked the bank’s members for reposing their faith in the Sahakar Panel and said the newly elected board would work for farmers, women, savings groups and self-help groups across Thane and Palghar districts. He also congratulated independent winner Nilesh Sambare and said a decision on future cooperation with him would be taken later.Former BVA MLA Kshitij Thakur said the district cooperative bank, with a business of around Rs 12,000 crore, would continue serving farmers and economically weaker sections. He said all 21 directors, including the five from the opposition, would work together, adding that cooperative institutions should function beyond party politics.The Thane-Palghar DCC Bank is among the most influential cooperative financial institutions in the region, providing agricultural credit, crop loans and financial assistance to cooperative societies, self-help groups and rural development initiatives across Thane and Palghar districts.