Pashupati Murarka has been unanimously elected the president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), though officially it will be declared tomorrow evening.
Muraraka’s way to the top post of umbrella organisation of domestic private sector has been cleared after two other contenders Bhawani Rana and Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar pulled out of the race. Former senior vice president Rajkarnikar yesterday withdrew his candidacy from presidential race and decided to support Murarka, whereas Rana following Rajkarnikar today supported Muraraka and pulled out of the race paving the way for Muraraka to become unanimous president.
Rana, during a press meet in the Capital, said that her decision to withdraw the candidacy was for the sake of unity in the FNCCI. “It will also send a positive message that there is a healthy competition in the private sector,” Rana said, adding that her focus was always on consensus and hoped that the new leadership will take the organisation to a new height.
Murarka, on the occasion, thanked both the candidates for supporting him and claimed it was a historic day in the FNCCI’s history. “It is a proof of private sector’s unity,” he said, adding that it will have long term and positive impact on the private sector.
The past presidents had been lobbying for a unanimous president as the country is passing thorugh the difficult time.
Speaking on the occasion, FNCCI former president Ravi Bhakta Shrestha thanked all the candidates for taking initiative to elect a unanimous president. “The past presidents were for unnanimous president,” he said, thanking all the contenders for showing unity.
However, Muraraka will be formally declared the president – the second from the Madarwari community after Binod Chaudhary – of the five decacade-old FNCCI tomorrow evening after the time to take back candidacy ends.
Earlier, on Saturday, the three – former vice president Rana, incumbent officiating president Muraraka and former senior vice president Rajkarnikar – had filed nominations for the post of president in the mid-term election, first in the history of FNCCI, that is scheduled for July 3.
The mid-term election was announced after then president Pradeep Jung Pandey was jailed in a three-decade old corruption case in March. The post of FNCCI president had remained vacant after Pandey’s arrest. Murarka will take charge – on Friday – as FNCCI president until next 21 months as he will serve for the remaining term of the incumbent executive committee that expires in April, 2017.