'I believe politics drives all policies' — Binod Chaudhary, chairman, Chaudhary Group Kathmandu, November 4 Dozens of prominent businessmen will be contesting the upcoming provincial and parliamentary first-past-the-post elections slated for November 26 and December 7. Similarly, some renowned businessmen are also vying for proportional representation seats in the upcoming elections representing various parties with a view to changing the business environment through the Parliament. While a majority of businessmen, who have acquired party tickets to compete in the provincial and parliamentary election, are contractors, a few of them are industrialists, tourism entrepreneurs and overseas entrepreneurs. Among others, Tek Bahadur Gurung — an overseas entrepreneur — is vying for the parliamentary seat from Manang on a Nepali Congress ticket. Similarly, contractors Purna Bahadur Tamang (from Ramechhap) and Mohan Acharya (from Rasuwa) are also contesting for parliamentary seats as NC candidates. NC has also given a ticket to Rajendra Burlakoti, chief of Narayani Gas, for the parliamentary seat from Chitwan-1. The left alliance has issued tickets for parliamentary seats to Janardan Dhakal (from Rasuwa) and Parbat Gurung (from Dolakha). Both Dhakal and Gurung are renowned contractors. Meanwhile, Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Bikram Pandey, who is also the managing director of Kalika Construction, is competing for parliamentary seats from Chitwan-3 representing Rastriya Prajatantra Party. Hari Narayan Prasad Rauniyar, managing director of Pappu Construction, is also contesting for parliamentary seat from Parsa-3 representing Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal. Meanwhile, a substantial number of business leaders are also contesting for provincial seats in the upcoming election. While Prakash Singh Karki, president of Nepal Freight Forwarders’ Association, is contesting for provincial seat from Solukhumbu (A), Rajendra Bajgain, executive director of Silver Heritage Nepal, is vying for provincial seat from Gorkha-1. Similarly, Rajendra Kumar Shrestha and Bishnu Kumar Khatri — former presidents of Sindhupalchowk Chamber of Commerce — are contesting for provincial seats in Sindhupalchowk-1 (A) and Sindhupalchowk-1 (B), respectively. Ramesh Dhamala, former president of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal, and also a tourism entrepreneur, is contesting for provincial seat in the upcoming election from Dhading-2 (B). Political parties have also filed the names of different industrialists as PR candidates in the upcoming parliamentary and provincial elections. Among others, Binod Chaudhary, chairman of Chaudhary Group, Jip Tshring Lama and Bahadur Singh Lama (contractors) are on the PR list of Nepali Congress. Similarly, CPN-UML has nominated industrialist Motilal Dugar for PR seat. Businessmen who are contesting in the provincial and parliamentary elections have said that they decided to join politics to improve the business environment in Nepal and ease the doing business climate. “Politics in Nepal has always been a hindrance to growth of the business sector in Nepal. Businessmen are vying for provincial and parliamentary seats in the upcoming election to address the issues of doing business climate in the country,” said Rauniyar. Similarly, Gurung, vying for a parliamentary seat from Morang, said economic development and business promotion had so far been limited only to the speeches of political leaders. “Representation of businessmen in the provincial and parliamentary assemblies will ensure that key issues related to the economy and doing business are addressed and dealt with properly,” said Gurung. Contractor Janardan Dhakal, vying for a parliamentary seat from Rasuwa, said representation of the business community in the provincial and parliamentary assembly is crucial to achieve economic prosperity in the country.