ElBaradei not named Egypt's PM but is logical choice: Official

CAIRO: In another dramatic twist in the saga of political upheaval in Egypt, the interim president's office dismissed reports that Mohamed ElBaradei has been named the country's Prime Minister, but said the leading liberal opposition leader is "the logical choice" for the post.

ElBaradei met with interim President Adly Mansour for two hours yesterday afternoon, and "discussions and consultations are ongoing," presidential adviser Ahmed al-Muslimani said on state-run TV.

"Tomorrow we expect to name the prime minister and the ministers."

He added that ElBaradei was "the logical choice" among a list of names being considered.

If 71-year-old ElBaradei is selected, it would signal a secular shift just days after a military coup ousted nation's first democratically elected and Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

The move comes as supporters and opponents of the ousted president planned rival demonstrations today, with the former demanding Morsi's reinstatement and the latter supporting Morsi's overthrow.

A coalition supporting 61-year-old Morsi's reinstatement called for protests today to reject Wednesday's "military coup" by Egyptian Defence Minister Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.

Officials had earlier named ElBaradei, a former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, for the post of Prime Minister. News of his appointment had been criticised by the Salafist Nour Party, which said it would not work with him.

The appointment of ElBaradei caused anger among supporters of Morsi, who want to see him returned to power.

The initial reports of ElBaradei's appointment were greeted with cheers in Cairo's Tahrir Square and Ittihadiya presidential palace.

The celebrations came after 24 hours of violence that left 37 people dead and over 1,400 injured.

The possible appointment of ElBaradei, the defacto head of the opposition movement in the days leading to Wednesday's ouster of Morsi, has been discussed as a possibility among supporters in recent days.