Former FNCCI bosses for consensus candidate

 Kathmandu, June-23 Former presidents of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) are for electing new president of the apex body of Nepali private sector on consensus basis.

Speaking at a press meet in Kathmandu on Monday, nine former presidents of FNCCI said that they have taken initiative to elect new president unanimously.

The initiative by former presidents has come on the wake of announcement of candidacy for the post of president by different industrialists and businesspeople.

Senior Vice President Pashupati Murarka, Vice President Bhawani Rana and former Senior Vice President Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar have hinted that they might stand as candidate for the post.

The election for president of NFCCI has been scheduled for July 3. The post is lying vacant after incumbent president Pradeep Jung Pandey was arrested on corruption charges few months ago.

"The need of the hour is unity. That is why we, the former presidents of FNCCI, have agreed to make efforts for forging consensus on a common candidate," Mahesh Lal Pradhan, former president of the FNCCI, said in the press meet.

The former presidents, however, said they have not selected any name.

"We cannot say who will be the common candidate and we don't have our own candidate. The process to forge consensus will begin once the nomination process starts," he added.

Pradhan also said none of the former presidents will announce their candidacy for the post. "We have jointly made a commitment that none of the former presidents will be in the race," he added.

Kush Kumar Joshi, another former president of FNCCI, said they will press president hopefuls to forge consensus. "The country is passing through difficult times and the national economy is suffering due to the recent earthquake. We are coming up with differing opinions at this time instead of common voice of the private sector. The election will further polarize the private sector," Joshi said. "We will talk with other FNCCI officials to come up with a common candidate."

Similarly, immediate past president Suraj Vaidya said that the initiative of former presidents was intended to drive FNCCI toward unity. "We have a broad understanding that none of the former presidents will vie for presidency. We will have to come up with a unanimous candidate," he added.

Nine former presidents have also issued a joint statement expressing commitment to take the consensus process ahead. The former presidents have also said incumbent FNCCI office-bearers will have to resign on moral grounds before filing nomination for the post of president.

Padma Jyoti, Ananda Raj Mulmi, Pradeep Kumar Shrestha, Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, Binod Bahadur Shrestha, Chandi Raj Dhakal are the other former vice presidents who have signed the statement.

Source: Republica