DEPUTY Burnley Council leader Rafique Malik could become the town's first Asian mayor next year - but only if he retains his place on the council at May's municipal elections.

The fact that Coun Malik was next in line for the mayoralty was reported to a private meeting of the general purpose committee, which will formally invite him to take up the post of civic leader at a later meeting.

But he must retain his seat in the most fiercely contested ward in town to qualify for the mayoralty.

Coun Malik, a former Burnley teacher and director of the racial equality council in Blackburn until his retirement last year, has been a Daneshouse Labour councillor for more than 20 years.

He lost the seat to the Liberal Democrats by a handful of votes in 1994 and his party lodged a legal challenge to the result - a move withdrawn before a full court hearing because of the high cost of proceeding.

Coun Malik, chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, bounced back to recapture the seat two years later. He is chairman of Burnley Council's housing and community services committee.

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