Varanasi may be eyeing for NSE top post while Chauhan neither 'confirms nor denies' his candidature

Even as its arch-rival BSE is going all out with its IPO roadmap, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) is yet to find its head to head its day-to-day activities in addition to its IPO plan too. NSE has been lying headless, literally, since sudden resignation note came in from its erstwhile CEO, Chitra Ramkrishna. Meanwhile, if buzz in the Dalal Street is to be believed, Ravi Varanasi, Chief of Business Development at NSE has joined the long list of candidates for the top job at the country’s premiere stock exchange.

Meanwhile in another interesting development on Tuesday, Chief Executive of BSE, Ashish Chauhan when asked by media about any interest that he might be having to take over the NSE as its head, neither confirmed or denied his candidature. Chauhan, ironically, was instrumental in technological advancement processes of NSE before he took over the BSE where his stint is expected to get over sometime during this calendar year itself. The man who has been synonymous of BSE's revival, may like to come back to NSE's corner office and infuse further life into it.

Since Ramkrishna resigned late last year, there have been flurry of names doing the round with even many senior executive of the NSE also being in the fray for the coveted job. In all, the Exchange has received around 100 applications for the top job since last month, if sources close to development are to be believed.

It is widely speculated that NSE in most likelihood will be filling up the corner office space before the Exchange hits the markets. NSE has filed draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the market regulator SEBI for a Rs 10,000 crore IPO which will the biggest new public issue in recent years.