Rhodri Glyn Thomas wants to be leader - but not president

But Mr Thomas, the assembly member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, will not stand for the party presidency.

That means he will only try to lead his party's 12-strong group in the assembly if whoever is elected president is not an AM.

Ieuan Wyn Jones resigned as Plaid president last month after the party's disastrous performance in the assembly elections.

Officially, there is no separate vacancy as leader of Plaid in the assembly.

Religion

According to the party's constitution, there will only be a separate leader in the assembly if the party president comes from outside the assembly.

Mr Jones has been both president and leader in the assembly. But there has been much speculation that the two roles could be split.

The only candidates to have declared themselves for the presidency so far are both from outside the assembly - former AM Cynog Dafis and party vice-president and councillor Dafydd Iwan.

In a brief statement, Mr Thomas said he would stand for leader of the Plaid assembly group "should there be an election for the post".

Mr Thomas, 50, was born in Wrexham and is Plaid deputy leader in the assembly.

He has been AM for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since the first assembly election in 1999, is a minister of religion and is a former chairman of CND Cymru.