KATHMANDU: A fresh round of consultations by Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle with industrialists has reignited speculation of a growing power struggle between him and Prime Minister Balendra Shah, after the finance ministry remained absent from the prime minister’s recent engagements with the private sector.
Since the third week of Asar, Prime Minister Balen has held a series of meetings with representatives from 12 different sectors of the economy. Most of the issues raised during those discussions—including taxation, investment, industrial policy and budget implementation—fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance and its affiliated agencies.
However, neither Finance Minister Wagle nor officials from the finance ministry participated in the prime minister’s consultations.
During the same period, Wagle focused on issuing budget implementation guidelines, reviewing revenue collection and holding discussions with visiting youth delegates from Australia.
On Tuesday, however, the finance minister is set to begin his own engagement with the private sector by convening nearly three dozen industrialists for a special discussion on budget implementation.
The Ministry of Industry’s secretary is expected to attend the meeting, although the participation of other ministers or ministries has not been disclosed.
The parallel consultations have drawn attention, as the finance ministry is now engaging many of the same stakeholders whom the prime minister had already met, raising questions about coordination between the two offices.
Prime Minister Balen launched his dialogue with the private sector on Asar 23, beginning with umbrella business bodies including the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), the Nepal Chamber of Commerce, and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI).
He later expanded the consultations to include representatives from the construction, energy, hospitality, women’s entrepreneurship, footwear manufacturing, capital market, garment, handicraft, organic products and export-oriented industries.
The Prime Minister’s Office has indicated that the consultation process will continue with additional sectors in the coming weeks.
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