Kamal Nath, former union minister and a sitting parliamentarian from Chhindwara, would be the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, insiders have said.
The Congress Legislature Party, which met here on Wednesday evening, is understood to have decided upon his name after it was proposed by Member of Parliament Jyotiraditya Scindia, also a contender for the top post, in a rare show of unity.
The official announcement of Nath's name would be done in Delhi, an MLA who was part of the meeting, said.
Earlier, Scindia supporters were shouting slogans demanding he be made CM.
The Congress, having narrowly won the state with 114 seats, did not waste time in staking claim to forming the government.
Late on Tuesday night, even as the results were pouring in, Kamal Nath, the PCC chief, had rushed in an official missive to the Governor claiming to be the single largest party.
On Wednesday afternoon, a group of seniors leaders including Nath, Scindia, Digvijaya Singh, Vivek Tankha, Arun Yadav and Suresh Pachauri met Governor Anandiben Patel at Raj Bhawan and discussed the modalities of swearing the chief minister in.
AICC observer AK Antony, former defence minister, flew in to Bhopal on Wednesday afternoon and, along with other senior party leaders, met the newly elected MLAs.
The meeting lasted about an hour and sources said a one-line resolution was passed authorising the party high command to take decision about the CLP leader.
Sources said that Nath and other leaders had already spoken to BSP and SP leadership and their support was obtained. BSP has won two seats and SP one. The two parties, known for anti-BJP stand, quickly lent their backing. And with four independents (Congress rebels), the Congress stock has gone up to 121, six more than clear majority.
BSP which had spurned the offer to join hands with Congress in MP has fallen in line considering the impending parliamentary polls.
The BSP-SP posturing indicates a grand alliance against BJP in the days to come.