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FNCCI candidates play blame games
Candidates in the election for the post of senior vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) have launched a blame game with less than a week till election day.Candidates in the election for the post of senior vice-president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) have launched a blame game with less than a week till election day.
Kishore Kumar Pradhan, one of the candidates vying for the post, lashed out at the current FNCCI President Pashupati Murarka and president-in-waiting Bhawani Rana for openly taking the side of his rival Shekhar Golchha.
Both Murarka and Rana were present at the ceremony organised on Tuesday by Golchha to announce his panel. “It is against the spirit of the organization for its president and upcoming president to openly take the side of one candidate,” said Pradhan. “Such an act by the president-in-waiting can influence voters.” It is also against the election code of conduct, he added. However, Rana defended her right to endorse her candidate. “After a week, I will be at the helm of the organization, and it is natural that I will support the candidate who will help me run the organization,” said Rana. “Golchha is the ideal candidate for me as he has said his prime agenda is to support my agenda and make my tenure successful. Also, we don’t have any election code of conduct at the FNCCI.”
Meanwhile, Murarka refuted Pradhan’s allegation and said that he was not taking anybody’s side. “I was invited to Tuesday’s event, and I went there to extend my good wishes to Golchha’s panel,” said Murarka. “I haven’t endorsed his panel. In fact, I am still trying to forge a consensus between the two candidates.”
Murarka called on the two candidates and their panels on Wednesday to discuss the possibility of consensus. He claimed that both parties had agreed to be open to forging a consensus and keep the election campaign clean.
Golchha didn’t rule out the possibility of a consensus but Pradhan said it was already too late for that. “We have already moved far ahead,” said Pradhan. “They were very late in starting talks. There is no possibility of a consensus.” Lately, the competition for the post of senior vice-president at the private sector’s apex body has heated up with eminent business personalities openly taking sides to ensure victory for their candidate.
The senior vice-presidential race is a high-stakes affair as the winner will automatically become the next president of the FNCCI after three years. While former FNCCI presidents Suraj Vaidya and Kush Kumar Joshi are supporting Pradhan, Chandi Raj Dhakal is lobbying on behalf of Golchha.
The FNCCI’s special general meeting held in October 2016 decided that the senior vice-president would be promoted to president without having to fight elections. This is the reason why all eyes are on the election for the post of senior vice-president at the FNCCI which is being held on April 10.