PESHAWAR, Feb 27: A crucial meeting of the Awami National Party to be held on Friday at Bacha Khan Markaz is likely to finalise the name of the future chief minister and deliberate the format of the next set-up in the province, party sources say.

The meeting besides 33 MPAs-elect would also be attended by party leaders, including its provincial chief Afrasiab Khattak.

Several names, including that of Bashir Ahmad Bilour, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Saqibullah Khan Chamkani, Wajid Ali Khan and party president Asfandyar Wali Khan’s nephew Haidar Khan Hoti are in circulation as the would-be chief executive of the Frontier province.

“Bashir Ahmad Bilour and Mian Iftikhar Hussain are the main contenders,” a party leader said. But, it is still guessing stuff for the media, as there are few other candidates as well, he said. He added that the run was no so easy for them.

ANP has already made arrangements with the Pakistan people’s Party about the next provincial government. “Name of the party’s nominee for the chief minister slot can be finalised in the meeting. But main item on the agenda will be the arrangements under which the party will work with its coalition partners,” he added.

There is a competition among members, but we will ultimately nominate our chief minister with consensus, a party leader said.

After inclusion of two independent MPAs-elect, Mian Nisar Gul Kakakhel and Amjad Afridi, has now 33 seats in 124-member provincial assembly. Its would-be coalition partner PPP has 19 seats.

The slot of chief minister will go to ANP and PPP’s nominees would be made speaker besides giving berth in cabinet, according to an agreement already reached between Asfandyar Wali Khan and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari.

The meeting will hammer out modalities to work effectively with the future coalition partners in the province.