The Michigan Party, which has won every Michigan Student Assembly presidential election since its formation five years ago, has chosen Probir Mehta to compete for the assembly's top spot.
Mehta, who currently serves as MSA vice president, has not yet confirmed he will vie for the presidency under the Michigan Party name. However, some assembly members not only said that Mehta's presidential candidacy is a lock, but also that he has chosen LSA Rep. Dan Serota as his running mate.
Mehta said he will officially accept the nomination when the entire Michigan Party declares its candidacy.
"The nomination was offered - I accepted," Mehta said, adding that the Michigan Party's official slate has not yet been assembled. "Accepting the nomination means I will probably definitely be running for president. However, nothing else is definite."
Mehta denied that the Michigan Party's top two spots were forgone conclusions.
"I am happy that others on the assembly are eager to hear the Michigan Party's ideas and vision for the future; however, we have made no official announcement of our slate and platform yet," Mehta said. "Nothing is set in stone."
Serota, who was the top vote-getter in the fall MSA election, said he was not prepared to confirm his vice presidency.
"There is a good possibility that may occur, but it is not written in stone yet," Serota said.
LSA Rep. Mike Nagrant said Mehta accepted the Michigan Party's presidential nomination, which indicates that Mehta plans to run for MSA president.
"(Mehta) said that he humbly accepted," Nagrant said.
Although many members said they have heard Serota is Mehta's vice presidential pick, none will confirm the speculation.
LSA Rep. Andy Schor said he has heard that Serota, who was rumored to be running under a different slate, was having trouble finding a vice president to run with him.
"(Serota) figured he had a better chance of winning as vice president on the Michigan Party slate then as president on his own under a different party name," Schor said.
Nagrant contended that inserting Serota as the party's vice presidential candidate would increase the Michigan Party's popularity.
"I think Probir purely chose Dan on the basis of electoral strength," Nagrant said. "(Serota) did very well in the last election."
Mehta said if he runs for president with the Michigan Party, Serota is one of his vice presidential options.
"I've discussed it with (Serota)," Mehta said. "There's been other choices too."
MSA President Fiona Rose applauded her party's nomination.
"I think that (the Michigan Party) made the right decision," Rose said, adding that Mehta has not told her directly whether he has accepted the nomination. "It's up to Probir to decide."
Other members said they were not surprised by the Michigan Party's nomination.
"I think that was certainly the outcome everybody expected," said LSA Rep. Erin Carey, who ran with the Wolverine Party last winter. "In a lot of people's minds, (the Michigan Party's nomination) certainly makes (Mehta) the front-runner."
Nagrant and Serota also were nominated for the Michigan Party's presidential candidacy - but party members chose Mehta by a large margin.
Nagrant has since left the Michigan Party because he has been disappointed with the party's leadership, he said.
Nagrant said he is unsure of his future plans, although there are speculations that he too will run for MSA president under a different party name.
Mehta said he is looking forward to serving students, but that the Michigan Party has not reached a cemented vision for the upcoming year.
"It's a decision I don't want to make in a second," Mehta said. "If it's yes - it's 120 percent."