Pune/Nagpur, Nov. 4 -- Two political heavyweights of Maharashtra-former NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil and BJP cabinet minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil-suffered setbacks in the district central cooperative (DCC) bank elections, as local political rivalries and factional battles shaped the results across four districts. Elections to the Sangli, Ahilyanagar, Satara and Yavatmal DCC banks were held on November 2. The election results, declared on Tuesday, are politically significant because DCC banks are key sources of agricultural credit and play a crucial role in the rural economy. Control over their boards gives political parties considerable influence over the district's cooperative network, including primary agricultural credit societies (PACS), and the farmers who depend on them. In Sangli, BJP MLA Gopichand Padalkar, a political rival of Jayant Patil, defeated Vinod Pawar from the Jat PACS constituency, who was backed by leaders aligned with Patil's camp. Pawar's decision to contest against Padalkar drew sharp criticism from within the BJP, as his brother, Sunil Pawar, is a party leader and zilla parishad member. Sunil, in fact, campaigned against his brother during the election. Padalkar secured 54 votes, winning by a margin of 20. "My political opponents worked overtime to ensure my defeat in the polls. But the voters of Jat PACS reposed their trust in me. My opponents even tried to prevent me from contesting by raising questions about my nomination. The voters have given them a befitting reply," Padalkar said. Jayant Patil did not respond to calls seeking his reaction. In the 21-member board, the Congress has won six seats, the BJP five, the NCP three, the NCP (SP) four and the Shiv Sena three. The Congress is likely to claim to the chairman's post. In Ahilyanagar, NCP (SP) MP Nilesh Lanke defeated the BJP's Rahul Shinde from the Parner PACS constituency by 24 votes. Shinde is considered close to Vikhe Patil. After his victory, Lanke took an indirect swipe at Vikhe Patil and his son Sujay without naming them. "One can own factories, educational institutions and immense wealth. But I have the blessings of the voters," he said. Vikhe Patil and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat had appealed for an unopposed election, citing the drought situation. However, Lanke refused to agree to a consensus, given his longstanding rivalry with Vikhe Patil. Sitting NCP MLA Kiran Lahamate also lost from the Akole constituency to Sanjeevani Shinde-Gaykar, considered close to Thorat. Despite these defeats, Vikhe Patil and Thorat's group secured 17 of the 21 board seats, putting them in a strong position to claim the chairmanship. Sujay Vikhe Patil, who was elected unopposed from Rahata, is being tipped for the post. In Satara, the contest for the DCC Bank board was largely centred on rival factions within the Mahayuti alliance. Elections were held in 12 constituencies, while candidates in the remaining nine seats were elected unopposed. District guardian minister and Shiv Sena leader Sambhuraj Desai, contesting the bank elections for the first time, defeated BJP's Satyajeetsinh Patil from the Patan PACS constituency by 12 votes. In the Man PACS constituency, BJP minister Jaykumar Gore defeated his brother Shekhar, who contested on a Shiv Sena ticket, and NCP candidate Manoj Pol. "My victory is the result of the efforts of party workers and my son Yashraj, who worked hard for it," Gore said. He also pointed out that a member of the Desai family was returning to the board after four decades. His grandfather, Balasaheb Desai, had earlier served as a director. The BJP won nine seats on the 21-member board, the NCP eight and the Shiv Sena four. In Yavatmal, the Mahayuti ended the Congress's 26-year control of the DCC Bank. In the election leadership meeting held on Monday, the Lok Sabha MP from the district, Sanjay Deshmukh of the Shiv Sena, was elected unopposed as the bank's new chairperson. Under a power-sharing arrangement, the BJP's Nitin Bhutada and NCP functionary Vijay Jadhav were appointed as vice-chairpersons. The Mahayuti-backed Baliraja Sahakar Panel won 16 of the 25 director seats, while the MVA secured nine....