Mumbai, India: India's powerful cricket board will meet at the weekend to elect a new president following the death of Jagmohan Dalmiya, its secretary said Tuesday.

Anurag Thakur said the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was expected to pick former supremo Shashank Manohar as its new chief at a special general meeting on Sunday.

"Shashank Manohar is our consensus candidate," he told local media, in quotes carried by the Press Trust of India.

Dalmiya, 75, died earlier this month after falling critically ill with a heart condition.

His death came just months after he returned to the helm of the faction-ridden BCCI following the toppling of Narayanaswami Srinivasan, who is now head of the International Cricket Council.

Supporters of Thakur and Srinivasan, who are bitter rivals, were thought to be gearing up for a battle to lead the BCCI but Manohar's elevation appears designed to placate both sides and makes an election contest less likely. 

Manohar, a lawyer, previously served as BCCI chief between 2008 and 2011.

The special meeting is expected to be held in Mumbai.