Some of their common agendas are strengthening the private sector, giving more power to district and municipality chambers of commerce and industry, ensuring the private sector’s agenda in new constitution and increasing investment in the country.

Rajkarnikar, who announced his and his panel’s candidacy on Friday, said strengthening the private sector was his team’s main agenda. The slogan for the Rajkarnikar panel is “Prosperous Economy, Strong Private Sector”.

Pandey, who has announced his candidacy from Janakpur, said his team has come up with the idea of uniting the FNCCI and empowering district and municipality chambers of commerce and industry. His team is yet to make formal announcement of candidates for vice-presidents. Both the sides have given high priority to district and municipality chambers, which represent 50 percent voters. “Besides giving more power to district and municipality chambers, my team’s focus will be on making the chambers more professional and productive,” said Pandey.

Rajkarnikar said his priority will also be amending the existing FNCCI statute to empower district, zonal and regional bodies. Both sides have claimed they have good support from district, municipality and zonal chambers. “In fact, my name as the presidential candidate was announced by various district and municipality chambers,” said Pandey.

Rajkarnikar claimed the majority of district and municipal chambers are of the view that the current senior vice-president should be elected president as per the past tradition.

While the two sides have given prime focus to local chambers, they have not ignored the issues of commodity association and associate. Commodity associations work for the benefit of manufacturers and service providers, while associates represent business houses. Associate members have 30 percent share in voting, while commodity association has 20 percent share.

The two panels have also pledged to work to improve the business climate, increase investment and address revenue- and policy-related problems. “Working to ensure the availability of power and favourable policies for private sector are my agendas,” said Pandey. “Establishing the private sector’s agenda such as the right to own private property is another priority area.”

Besides establishing the private sector’s agenda in the new constitution, Rajkarnikar said he would work to ensure leading private sector role in public private partnership projects.

Pandey’s team has put forward the agenda of “United FNCCI”, which, according to him, is to accommodate disgruntled factions within the FNCCI. Factionalism within FNCCI has long been prevalent, but has appeared openly in the recent years. Lately, there have been more elections than unopposed selections, particularly of the president, and which, despite being a democratic exercise, is guided by factionalism.

Pandey said he would also incorporate Rajkarnikar’s agenda if he is elected president. In the existing executive committee, Pandey is the only one vice-president representing the rival faction of President Suraj Vaidya’s panel. In 2011 election, Vaidya’s panel had obtained three vice-president posts. However, things have somewhat changed this time, with Vice-president Bhawani Rana joining Pandey. Rana is vying for senior vice-president. Rajkarnikar said he had to announce his candidacy for president after efforts for a consensus failed. “I will definitely the address the issues of common interest of the business community even if those are the rival panel’s agendas,” he said.

There have also been efforts to garner support from former presidents as they have a remarkable influence over a certain section of the business community.

Rajkarnikar enjoys the backing of President Suraj Vaidya and former president Ananda Raj Mulmi, while Pandey’s team has been supported by former presidents Binod Bahadur Shrestha, Chandiraj Dhakal and Kush Kumar Joshi. Interestingly, Mulmi had supported Pandey’s team in the previous election, while Dhakal supported Rajkarnikar’s team.

According to FNCCI, there are 96 voters from districts and municipalities, 91 from commodity associations and more than 600 associates. But vote weightage is higher in the case district and municipal chambers.