Amid tussle for the top slot in the IMF, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said he hoped that a consensus would emerge which is generally acceptable.
Singh noted that the struggle for an "equitable" world order will take long as rich nations do not want to give up power easily.
"... Those who exercise power, do not want to give up power easily," he said on the possible candidates for the post of the International Monetary Fund [IMF] Managing Director, which fell vacant following resignation of disgraced Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
"The struggle for a better, balanced and more equitable world order, including the management of global institutions like the IMF, World Bank, [UN] Security Council is going to be a long haul, I am afraid," he told reporters on Saturday night who accompanied him on his visit to Africa.
Hoping that a consensus would emerge, Singh said India was in touch with various countries.
However, there is a desire in Europe that an European should occupy the coveted position because very large proportion of IMF funds is in the continent which is dealing with the Euro zone tensions, Singh said.
The developing countries, including India, have been pressing for transparency in the selection of the new IMF chief, even as Europe has announced French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde as its candidate.