Polling to elect the KP CM began earlier today with PTI’s Gandapur and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Dr Ibadullah Khan vying for the top provincial slot.

PTI founder Imran Khan had nominated Gandapur as his party’s candidate for KP’s leader of the house. Considering the numbers it is highly likely that he would clinch the slot.

Gandapur had the support of Sunni Ittehad Council’s (SIC) members while Dr Ibadullah has the support of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Parliamentarians (PTI-P).

The former federal minister decided to contest the top provincial post in an independent capacity after refusing to join the SIC — the party which was joined by PTI-backed independent winners to claim their seats.

Gandapur served as the former federal minister for Kashmir affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan during the PTI government at the Centre from October 2018 to April 2022.

Previously, he was a member of the KP Assembly from 2013 to 2018 and served as provincial minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for revenue

The CM-designate did his BA honours from the Gomal University in Dera Ismail Khan.

Meanwhile, his opponent, Ibadullah Khan, was a member of the National Assembly from August 2018 till August 2023. He was the chairman of the Standing Committee of Communications in the NA from April 2019 till August 2023.

The maiden session of the KP Assembly saw the oath-taking of the newly-elected lawmakers on Wednesday.

A day after the oath taking, the provincial legislature elected PTI-backed Babar Saleem Swati and Suriya Bibi as speaker and deputy speaker. Swati bagged 89 votes while Suriya received 87 ballots to win the coveted slots.