Leaders of the ruling People’s Party (PP) have dismissed reports of endorsing President Joyce Banda as the party’s presidential candidate before the convention decides.

The PP is scheduled to hold its first convention on August 27 to elect a presidential candidate, new national executive committee among other office bearers.

Commentators and the public have been criticising the party’s leadership of being undemocratic by calling for a convention when they have already endorsed Banda as the presidential candidate for the 2014 general elections.

At the moment, no one has come forward to challenge Banda on the position, with only a few days left to the convention.

However, there is stiff competition on the position of the regional vice presidents.

Speaking during the Capital fm’s Sunday Roundtable program the party’s treasure general Brown Mpinganjira said they are not restraining any one from contesting at the convention.

Mpinganjira also downplayed claims that the convention would just be a rubber stamp to endorse Banda as their torch bearer during the 2014 polls, insisting that delegates to the convention will have a democratic vote.