KATHMANDU: The internal rift within the Nepal Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) has taken a fresh turn with the emergence of a rival industry body—the Nepal Automobiles Importers and Manufacturers Association (NAIMA). In a retaliatory move, NADA has demoted its Senior Vice President, Akash Golchha, to the position of general member.
Golchha, who has been accused of playing an active role in NAIMA’s formation, was listed as NADA’s Senior Vice President on its official website until recently. However, following the launch of NAIMA, his designation was quietly changed, effectively stripping him of the post.
The 47th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of NADA held in December 2023 unanimously elected a new executive committee. The AGM also amended the association’s constitution to introduce the post of Senior Vice President, which would grant the holder automatic succession to the presidency. Golchha was appointed to this new position.
However, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, did not endorse the constitutional amendment, raising questions about the legitimacy of the new position. Despite this, Golchha continued to be recognized as Senior Vice President—until NAIMA’s formation triggered his removal from the website.
“This was done arbitrarily. There was no discussion in the executive committee or the AGM,” a NADA executive member told Mero Auto. “How could the president and the committee remove Akash ji’s name when the AGM had already mandated his role?”
Riddhi Karki, who recently resigned as an executive member due to differences with the president and the leadership team, echoed the sentiment. “From day one, they undermined the spirit of consensus. Frankly, Akash Golchha and his team should have resigned then and there. I quit because I couldn’t tolerate their conduct. His removal now doesn’t surprise me.”
When Mero Auto reached Golchha for a response, he said, “They think they hold absolute authority and can do whatever they want. I have no further comment on the matter.”
