“Let the chips fall where they may,” he said on Twitter this afternoon.
Khairy had also posted an image of his nomination form on his Instagram account, after speculation in news reports was given credence by former Kota Belud MP Abdul Rahman Dahlan, who tweeted his endorsement.
Earlier this month, Khairy, 42, had announced his candidacy for one of the three vice-president’s posts.
Political observers believed that his decision to stand for the top position was a spoiler move to thwart Tengku Razaleigh, 81, and ensure victory for Zahid, 65.
A fourth person, blogger Rahmat Azim Abdul Aziz, has also announced his candidacy, but it was not clear if his nomination would be accepted as he has not previously served on the Supreme Council.
Khairy had built up a reputation and a following among younger Umno members for having reformist views. Some supporters had urged that he be appointed opposition leader in Parliament, while Zahid remained as the party president to rebuild the party after it lost power in last month’s general election.
Khairy had accepted the election results and Umno’s defeat and apologised for not having faced up to the truth about the problems that the 1MDB scandal had wrought upon the party.
“It is clear there is a trust deficit and most of us have jointly taken responsibility for the actions of the previous Government, myself included,” he said. “”But we need to soldier on as the opposition, regardless of that trust deficit.”
Khairy, son of a former diplomat, was educated abroad and has an Oxford University degree in politics. He is married to the daughter of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who was prime minister from 2003-2009.
He rose to prominence during Abdullah’s time and was a close adviser, one of the infamous “Fourth Floor Boys” disparaged by Dr Mahathir Mohamad, now chairman of Pakatan Harapan and prime minister. Khairy was also a rival to Mahathir’s son, Mukhriz.
Earlier this month, in a surprise interjection at a press conference, Mahathir brought up Khairy’s name and said he would be the best man to lead Umno.