Malaysiakini reported that Penang Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) deputy chief Mansor Othman is expected to be named as the party's candidate for the upcoming Penanti by-election on May 31.
It is learnt that the announcement will be made by Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim in Penanti tonight.
Fifty-six-year-old Mansor, is a former university lecturer and student leader, who also served as Opposition Leader Datuk Seri Anwar's political secretary during his tenure as deputy premier.
Party insiders said that Mansor is now almost certain to be the party's candidate after he was not chosen as PKR's nominee as a senator by the state assembly today.
That position went to PKR state secretary Mustafa Kamil, who was approved by the Penang state assembly as a senator from PKR.
If selected, Mansor, would also assume the vacant deputy chief minister post if he wins the by-election.
In the 2008 general election, Mansor contested for the Pulau Betong state seat but lost by 294 votes to Umno's Muhammad Farid Saad.
He was Anwar's original choice to be the state deputy chief minister but had to forgo the post to Mohamad Fairus Khairuddin after his defeat.
Penanti will be the sixth by-election since the March 8 general election, five of which were snatched by Pakatan Rakyat.
The coming battle for the state seat - located under the Permatang Pauh parliamentary constituency - is also expected to be won by Pakatan.
However, Barisan Nasional has yet to decide if it will contest. The decision will be made by the Umno political bureau soon.
Permatang Pauh is considered Datuk Seri Anwar's stronghold. He is the MP of the constituency.
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