Kezia Dugdale is not experienced enough to lead the Scottish Labour Party, according to her opponent Ken Macintosh.
Mr Macintosh said he is confident he can win the leadership election, formally launched with the resignation of Jim Murphy yesterday after just six months in post, and said he will be bolstered by the party's move to one member, one vote.
Ms Dugdale was elected as Mr Murphy's deputy in December after four years as an MSP for the Lothians and many more as a party activist and election co-ordinator.
But Mr Macintosh, a veteran MSP who has represented the Renfrewshire seat of Eastwood since Holyrood's inception, said Ms Dugdale lacks the experience to lead the party.
Speaking on BBC Sunday Politics Scotland, he said: "As it happens, I actually think Kezia is a fantastic person, very able, very articulate, a lovely person.
"I like her a lot and was one of her big supporters for deputy leader.
"It's just that she is just not experienced enough yet."
Mr Macintosh dismissed suggestions that his politics are too close to Mr Murphy's, who represented the co-terminus East Renfrewshire seat at Westminster until Labour's crushing defeat in May.
"The reason that Jim and I worked so closely together is that actually we were opposites, we were sort of Yin and Yang as it were," he said.
"My kind of politics is entirely different. I have got no interest in Westminster and never have done. I'm not interested in that kind of power politics whatsoever."
Yin and Yang is the Chinese philosophy of opposites working in harmony, and translates as "shady side" (Yin) and "sunny side" (Yang).
Mr Murphy tabled a series of reforms upon his departure yesterday, including a move to one member, one vote in party elections which has been interpreted as an attempt to weaken the influence of the unions in Labour's hierarchy.
Mr Macintosh said: "Perhaps the most important decision yesterday was the move to one person, one vote.
"In other words, it's not about how many MSPs you have backing you, it's the support you have among the members and supporters of the party.
"Given the result we had last time I stood, I'm very optimistic that I am in a very good position.
"I wouldn't be standing if I didn't think I could win.
"Last time, I won more than 50% of the members' vote, and if we had had one person, one vote back then I think I would have won."
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