The crucial meeting of newly elected Congress MLAs to choose the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader would be held at state Congress office in Shimla on Saturday.

The Congress high command has deputed Delhi chief minister Sheila Dixit and AICC general secretary, Janardan Dwivedi as observers while general secretary Anis Ahmed would also be present at the meeting.

The Congress secured wafer thin majority in 68 member assembly winning 36 seats but it was not averse to seeking support of two Congress rebels.

HPCC president and five time chief minister Virbhadra Singh, who steered the party to victory is front runner for the top post while his detractors are banking on the High Command to stall him from becoming chief minister for the sixth time.

Meanwhile, Virbhadra in Shimla said that the high command would decide the leader, keeping in view the sentiments of the people who voted Congress back to power.

The names of Union minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma and former HPCC president Kaul Singh are also making the rounds but no leader has so far openly staked his claim for CLP leadership.