COPE'S Youth Movement has thrown down the gauntlet to its president, Mosiuoa Lekota, bidding to remove him from the top leadership at the much-anticipated elective conference due this weekend.

COPE'S Youth Movement has thrown down the gauntlet to its president, Mosiuoa Lekota, bidding to remove him from the top leadership at the much-anticipated elective conference due this weekend.

The YM is in the faction aligned to party deputy president, Mbhazima Shilowa, whom they want as the "elected" president.

Lekota will be relegated to a mere additional member come end of the conference, should the youth hold sway at the indaba.

The party's first elective conference is booked for Pretoria from Friday.

Lekota is not the only top dog to bite the dust. Senior leaders targeted for a slippery slide include former ANC powerhouse names and current Cope MPs Smuts Ngonyama, Willie Madisha and Leonard Ramatlakane. Other Lekota backers to be sunk are Cope spokesperson Phillip Dexter and treasurer Hilda Ndude.

Big names who will be reduced to "also-ran status" as additional members include former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, businessmen Saki Macozoma and Andile Nkuhlu.

Cope YM secretary Malusi Booi said yesterday's meeting of the party's youth wing also resolved to push for disciplinary action against Lekota and his MP and MPL backers, who were allegedly canvassing for a postponement of the elective conference.

The Shilowa faction's proposed top six list stands as:

President - Mbhazima Shilowa

First deputy - Charlotte Lobe

Second Deputy - Mluleki George

Secretary - Mvume Dandala

Deputy - Nikiwe Num

Treasurer - Lousa Mojela.