KATHMANDU: Dr. Gunakar Bhatta, Executive Director of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), has resigned from his post, submitting his letter to Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana on Friday.
Dr. Bhatta’s resignation comes as he emerges as the leading contender to be appointed the new NRB governor, following the departure of Maha Prasad Adhikari.
According to political sources, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba have reached a tentative agreement to support Bhatta’s appointment.
Despite having a majority government, the process of appointing a new governor has been complicated by tensions between the UML and Congress.
The governor selection committee, led by Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, is expected to recommend Dr. Bhatta and three others on Friday. The cabinet meeting is likely to finalize the new appointment soon after.
Other candidates in the race include Gyanendra Prasad Dhungana (former CEO of Nabil Bank), Acting Governor Neelam Dhungana, and Rajendra Kishore Chhetri. However, Dr. Bhatta’s chances have strengthened after Deuba pushed his name in the recent Baluwatar meeting, and Oli reportedly agreed in the absence of broader consensus.
An economist with a PhD in economics, Bhatta has long experience within NRB, adding credibility to his candidacy.
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