And then… there were 2: Rishi Sunak frontrunner in race Boris Johnson has quit

Rishi Sunak: Rishi Sunak has the public backing of 147 MPs so far- well ahead of the 100 nominations required to qualify.

Indian-origin Rishi Sunak is now the frontrunner in the Conservative Party's race to replace Liz Truss as prime minister as he garnered public support of over 100 Tory lawmakers while former prime minister Boris Johnson said that he is quitting the race.

Rishi Sunak: Britain’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer, Conservative MP, Rishi Sunak.

Boris Johnson asserted that he had the backing of 102 MPs but for him “this is simply not the right time” to run, his statement read.

With this, the Tory party leadership contest is set between Rishi Sunak and Penny Mordaunt. Highly-favoured to win, Rishi Sunak has the public backing of 147 MPs so far- well ahead of the 100 nominations required to qualify.

Ex-cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt who was the first to announce herself as an official candidate and said that she is "in it to win it" has only 24 MPs supporting her.

The Conservative party had ordered a contest which aims to install a new prime minister at 10 Downing Street by Monday.

Rishi Sunak, 42, was runner-up in the leadership contest with Liz Truss who replaced scandal-hit Boris Johnson.