In Maharashtra’s cooperative bank elections, political rivals are striking deals to avoid contests, while partners in the ruling Mahayuti are preparing to fight each other. With 15 of 21 seats in Sangli going unopposed and nine each in Ahilyanagar and Satara, parties are prioritising consensus to secure seats for senior leaders and their relatives.But in Satara, the BJP and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena have failed to prevent clashes between their candidates, exposing the limits of alliance unity at the local level.Elections are underway in four major district central cooperative banks (DCCBs): Sangli, Satara and Ahilyanagar in western Maharashtra, and Latur in Marathwada. These banks are politically influential because they distribute crop loans to farmers and are closely tied to the rural economy. Control over them can translate into influence over rural voters and local politics.Also Read | Five MLC seats, multiple rebellions: Mahayuti’s unity faces a test in MaharashtraThe push for unopposed elections comes amid drought conditions and changes to banking law that bar a person from contesting after serving 10 consecutive years as a director. The amendment has forced several established leaders to withdraw, opening the way for relatives and political successors.In Sangli, 15 of the 21 seats have gone unopposed, with NCP (SP), Congress and BJP leaders securing seats for senior figures. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reportedly spoke over the phone with NCP (SP) MLA and former minister Jayant Patil about avoiding a contest. An all-party meeting followed at the residence of the Sangli Zilla Parishad president.Patil later said the leaders had agreed to avoid elections because the state was facing drought. Polling will be held for the remaining six seats.For decades, the Congress and the undivided NCP dominated DCCBs, particularly in western Maharashtra. The BJP expanded its influence as leaders from those parties switched sides. The latest consensus efforts also follow the Mahayuti’s defeat in the Gokul cooperative dairy election in Kolhapur, where the Congress won despite the BJP’s efforts.Story continues below this adIn Ahilyanagar, nine of 21 seats have gone unopposed. Those elected include Ranjit Deshmukh, son-in-law of Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat; Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil; former MLA Shankarrao Gadakh; BJP MLAs Akshay Kardile and Monika Rajale; and Congress leader Karan Sasane.Thorat convened an all-party meeting, setting aside his long-standing rivalry with Vikhe Patil. NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Nilesh Lanke stayed away and has announced he will contest.In Satara, nine of 21 seats have also gone unopposed. Several senior leaders, including BJP MP Udayanraje Bhosale, NCP MP and former bank chairman Nitin Patil, minister Shivendraraje Bhosale and former Legislative Council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, withdrew their nominations after the law change.But consensus has failed in some constituencies. BJP minister Jaykumar Gore will contest against his brother Shekhar Gore, who is with the Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai will face BJP’s Satyajit Patankar.Story continues below this adIn Latur, elections will be held for 18 of 19 seats. Congress leader and former chairman Dhiraj Deshmukh is the only candidate elected unopposed. NCP minister Babasaheb Patil has joined hands with the Congress led by veteran leader Dilip Deshmukh, breaking with the BJP-led Mahayuti. Here, too, parties have fielded relatives.