A key meeting of the BJP’s newly-elected 54 MLAs in Chhattisgarh to pick the legislative party leader is set to take place from 12 PM on Sunday, which is likely to end the suspense over who will be the next chief minister. The BJP had contested the recently-concluded polls without projecting a CM face.

BJP leader Narayan Chandel told news agency PTI, “The meeting will begin at 12 PM, and our senior leaders will hold discussions with everyone. I feel that we will pick our legislative party leader today.”

Union ministers Arjun Munda, Sarbananda Sonowal and BJP general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam arrived at party office in Raipur on Sunday.

A day earlier, BJP state unit president Arun Sao had said that along with the party’s three observers BJP’s Chhattisgarh in-charge Om Mathur, Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya and party co-incharge for the state Nitin Nabin will also attend the Raipur meet.

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The BJP’s Chhattisgarh in-charge landed in Raipur on Saturday evening.

“There is a system set by the BJP’s parliamentary board which will be followed,” he said, when asked about the visit of observers, adding that there is no “formula” for electing the CM.

It is being speculated that if the party doesn’t pick three-time CM Raman Singh, it could likely pick a CM from the OBC or tribal community.

Among the probable names doing the rounds include Arun Sao, who has resigned as an MP after being elected as an MLA, bureaucrat-turned-politician O P Choudhary, both from Other Backward Classes (OBC). Former Union minister Vishnu Deo, Renuka Singh, who resigned as Union minister after being elected as an MLA, former state ministers Ramvichar Netam and Lata Usendi, and MP Gomti Sai, who won the assembly polls, are also being seen as contenders from the tribal community.

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The Chhattisgarh elections were held in two phases – November 7 and 17 and counting of votes for the 90 seats took place on December 3.

In the 90-member House, the BJP bagged 54 and Congress was reduced to 35 out of the 90 seats, while the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) managed to secure one seat.