Pashupati Murarka 17th FNCCI president

KATHMANDU, July 1: Pashupati Murarka on Wednesday became the 17th president of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

Murarka was unanimously elected to the post after other two candidates -- Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar and Bhawani Rana -- pulled out from the race.

The election officer appointed by FNCCI will formally announce Murarka as the new FNCCI president on Friday. He will lead the apex body of Nepali private sector until April 2017.

While Rajkarnikar withdrew his candidacy on Tuesday, Rana announced to pull out from the race and support Murarka amid a function held in Kathmandu on Wednesday. Speaking at the program, Rana said she decided to withdraw her candidacy to disseminate the message of unity. "The country is in a difficult situation after the April 25 earthquake. At this moment, we need common belief and understanding among private sector," she said, adding, "I stepped back for the betterment of FNCCI and the entire private sector and my support goes to Murarka."Similarly, Rajkarnikar advised the new leadership of FNCCI to work as per the letter and spirit of the FNCCI Statute. "Being the apex body of the Nepali private sector, FNCCI should comply with its statute," he said, adding, "We sacrificed our plans to make FNCCI strong and better."

Speaking at the program, Murarka vowed to make FNCCI a strong and credible body of the private sector. He also thanked all the past-presidents and presidential candidates for their efforts for consensus. "Respecting the efforts and sacrifice of all FNCCI members, I will commit to work for development of country's economy and for the well-being of the private sector," he added. "My immediate focus would be on coordinating with the government agencies to work for economic recovery and reviving industrial sector in quake-hit areas."

Murarka also said he would work to ensure that genuine demands of the private sector are addressed in the new constitution.

Past presidents of FNCCI have welcomed the consensus efforts made by the private sector. "FNCCI's works could not be effective in the past because we were divided," former president Kush Kumar Joshi, said, adding, "The consensus that we have forged is exemplary. It should be continued in the coming years as well."

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Photo: Sujan Dhungana