Kathmandu, Dec 16 : Kush Kumar Joshi president of the Federation of the Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) has said that the political interference has been a major stumbling block to industrial growth in Nepal.

Addressing a function here on Monday, Joshi said that political parties have not been sensitive towards the problems facing the business sector.

"Parties remain as indifferent towards promoting the private sector as in the past. Industries have not been able to operate smoothly, mainly due to political interference," he added.

He also accused the political parties of espousing the causes of labour unions at the cost of industrial production.

Joshi''s statement comes at a time when over two dozen industries in Birgunj-Pathlaiya corridor remain closed for the past four days with workers padlocking the factories demanding that the managements immediately raise the basic pay, as agreed at a recent tripartite (Government-Managements and Labour Union) talks, Nepalnews reported. (ANI)