PESHAWAR, Feb 29: The Awami National Party on Friday nominated Bacha Khan’s great grandson Amir Haidar Khan Hoti for the post of chief minister in a coalition government with the PPP in the NWFP.

Another serious contender for the job was ANP’s former parliamentary leader in the NWFP assembly, Bashir Ahmed Bilour, who will retain his job.

The party said the decision to nominate Mr Hoti for the CM’s post had been taken unanimously.

However, the decision irked Mr Bilour’s supporters who gathered outside the party’s headquarters, Bacha Khan Markaz, to protest against the nomination of Amir Hoti.Mr Bilour, however, pacified the charged activists. He also hosted a dinner for Mr Hoti and elected MPAs and party leaders at his house.

“Amir Hoti is our nominee to head the next coalition government with the PPP in the province,” ANP provincial chief Afrasiab Khattak said.

Talking to reporters after the party’s parliamentary committee meeting at the ANP central secretariat, he said both the nominations had been made with 100 per cent consensus.

He said the MPAs-elect had unanimously proposed the name of Mr Hoti.

Born in Mardan on Feb 5, 1971, Haider Khan Hoti obtained his FSc certificate from the Aitchison College in Lahore and graduated from Edwards College in Peshawar. He entered politics in 1990.

Son of former federal minister Mohammad Azam Khan Hoti and nephew of ANP president Asfandyar Wali Khan, Haider Hoti will be the youngest and 18th chief minister of the province.

Party sources said Mr Hoti enjoyed the trust and confidence of the ANP president and was committed to the party’s ideals.

Mr Hoti’s nomination was bolstered by the support of three independent MPAs — Akhtar Nawaz, Adnan Wazir and Khalifa Abdul Qayyum. The strength of the ANP has now reached 45 in the 124-member provincial assembly.

Mr Afrasiab said the PPP central leadership had assured support for the renaming of the province, provincial autonomy and matters concerning Fata.

He said the formation of the provincial government would be completed in two weeks.