Kathmandu, March 19

Industrialist Shekhar Golchha announced his candidacy for post of senior vice president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) from Butwal today.

With this, Golchha who is the current vice president of FNCCI, will vie with another Vice President Kishore Pradhan for the post of senior vice president in upcoming annual general meeting of FNCCI, which has been scheduled for April 10. Pradhan had announced his candidacy for the post a week back from Biratnagar.

The Golchha panel is backed by industrialists Dinesh Shrestha, Umesh Lal Pradhan, Chandra Dhakal and Gyanendra Lal Pradhan. Amid a programme held at Butwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry today, the Golchha panel has picked Dinesh Shrestha as the candidate for vice president (District and Municipal Chamber), Umesh Lal Shrestha as vice president (Commodity), Chandra Dhakal as vice president (Associates) and Gyanendra Lal Pradhan as treasurer.

President of FNCCI Pashupati Murarka and Senior Vice President Bhawani Rana were also present at Golchha’s panel announcement ceremony.

“I have been associated with FNCCI for a comparatively long tenure of almost 10 years, which has helped me in understanding the actual problems of the private sector in the country,” Golchha said, adding “With my experience at FNCCI, a closer understanding of the industrial situation in the country and a good team backing me, I will be able to bring about substantial changes in the industrial situation of Nepal.”

“My leadership at FNCCI will primarily target to strengthen the country’s private sector and coordinate with the government to solve issues that have been affecting the private sector,” he stated.

Another candidate for the post of senior vice president at FNCCI, Kishore Pradhan, too believes that he has a worthy team to lead the FNCCI. The panel backing Pradhan includes Pramod Shrestha as vice president (District and Municipal Chamber) and Shankar Pandey as vice president (Commodity). However, Pradhan’s panel is yet to decide on vice president (Associates) and treasurer. “We will announce our complete panel soon,” Pradhan said.

The FNCCI election, especially for the post of senior vice president, has gathered more significance after a special general meeting of FNCCI unanimously amended its statute in October last year introducing a provision to directly elect the incumbent senior vice president  as the new president of FNCCI. Following the introduction of this provision, Bhawani Rana, who is currently the senior vice president, will be at the helm of FNCCI after the April 10 AGM.

According to a source at FNCCI, 1,067 members of the organisation will take part in the FNCCI election. Of the total votes, 104 votes are from district and municipal chambers, 99 votes from commodity, 852 votes from associates and 12 votes from binational chambers.

While district and municipal members have 50 per cent weightage in the election, associates members and commodity members have 30 per cent weightage and 20 per cent weightage, respectively in the FNCCI election.