Delay in governor appointment not due to PM Oli: Deuba

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has told party leaders and cadres that the delay in the appointment of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Governor was not due to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Addressing a pre-budget interaction organized by the party’s Economic Policy and Planning Department in Lalitpur on Monday, Deuba said that Prime Minister Oli is supportive of the appointment of NC’s pick as the central bank governor.

“There is no political issue regarding the governor’s appointment. PM Oli is positive. The problem lies within the central bank,” Deuba said.

The NC President said the ruling coalition with CPN-UML is strong and stable. “The coalition is strong. There is no issue as such between the two parties,” Deuba added.

The ruling coalition has forged a consensus to appoint NRB Executive Director Dr Gunakar Bhatta, a name proposed by the NC, as the next governor. However, the recommendation committee led by Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has not been able to recommend a three-member list to the cabinet as Acting Governor Dr Nilam Dhungana is not accepting Dr Bhatta’s resignation.

NRB sources say Dr Dhungana is not accepting resignations tendered by Dr Bhatta and another executive director, Dr Prakash Kumar Shrestha, as she is also in the race to become the next governor.