KATHMANDU, March 24: Two panels have announced their candidacies for the upcoming elections of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).
The FNCCI, the umbrella body of the private sector, will elect a new executive committee during its 60th Annual General Meeting scheduled for April 12–13. Leading industrialists and businesspersons have formed rival panels to contest key positions.
A panel led by FNCCI Senior Vice-President Anjan Shrestha on Monday announced its candidates for various posts. The group has nominated Shiva Prasad Ghimire for the commodity vice-president, Prabal Jung Pandey for associate vice-president, and Dil Sundar Shrestha and Krishna Prasad Sharma for district and city vice-presidents.
Over 100 in the fray in FNCCI election
Similarly, a rival panel led by Hem Raj Dhakal has already unveiled its candidates. The panel has nominated Jyotsana Shrestha for associate vice-president, Naresh Lal Shrestha for commodity vice-president, Kalpana Gaire and Umesh Dalmiya for district and city vice-presidents, and Kamala Shrestha for women vice-president.
From Shrestha’s panel, Raghu Nandan Maru, Rabin Puri, Araniko Rajbhandari, Raj Kumar Karki, Basanta Chandra Marahatta, Sunita Nhemafuki, Sangharsha Bista, Rajesh Bhakta Shrestha, Hom Prasad Ghimire, Dhana Prasad Lamichhane, Dharma Raj Sapkota, Krishna Prasad Awale, Aib Bahadur Thapa, Bishwa Nath Khanal, Nani Raj Ghimire and Dhruba Bahadur Gautam will contest for central working committee membership.
In 2016, the FNCCI amended its statute to allow the senior vice-president to automatically assume the presidency without contesting an election. The organization has followed this provision for the past eight years.
However, last year, the FNCCI removed the provision of automatic elevation. According to the FNCCI, the change will take effect after current Senior Vice-President Anjan Shrestha assumes the presidency and completes his tenure.
Meanwhile, FNCCI President Chandra Dhakal has urged the competing panels to reach a consensus to strengthen the private sector’s voice.
“If we are not united, it will be difficult to make the government listen to the concerns raised by the private sector,” Dhakal said at a program in the capital on Monday.
