Kedah Menteri Besar Mukhriz Mahathir is positive about his chances of nabbing one of three Umno vice-president posts up for grab at next month’s party polls, estimating his odds at 50-50.

“As there are six candidates, technically my odds are 50-50.

“I am optimistic, with caution. But I must also campaign and get to know as many delegates and explain to them what I am doing, he said after submitting his nomination papers at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC) in Kuala Lumpur this evening.

NONEHe said this when asked on his views of three of his opponents, the three incumbents of the posts, Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (left), Hishammuddin Hussein and Mohd Shafie Apdal, who seemed to be working together when submitting their forms.

He said he was not fazed as he would only need to wrest the spot away from one leader and not all three.

He also stressed that his political path has nothing to do with him being the son of former party president Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but rather one that he etched out on his own.

“My political carrier has been up and down.

“If people say I am his (Mahathir’s) proxy, it would of course had been easy. The first time I offered myself to be Kubang Pasu Umno Youth chief, where he (Mahathir) himself was division head for 35 years, I lost,” he said.