KEZIA Dugdale, the frontrunner to replace Jim Murphy as Scottish Labour leader, will launch her campaign today with a pledge to stop the SNP creating a "one party state".
The Lothians MSP said she would be the "anti-establishment voice" in Scottish politics if she win the contest in August.
Ken Macintosh, her rival for the top job, launched his campaign yesterday promising sweeping party reforms and a more consensual style of politics.
The Eastwood MSP, who challenged unsuccessfully for the leadership in 2011, said Labour must be "less aggressive and adversarial" if it is to win back former supporters who have deserted the party for the SNP.
The campaigns got underway as soon as nominations closed.
Ms Dugdale and Mr Macintosh were confirmed as the only leadership candidates.
The deputy leadership will be contested between North East MSP Richard Baker, Cowdenbeath MSP Alex Rowley and Gordon Matheson, the leader of Glasgow City Council.
Scottish Labour is seeking its sixth leader in eight years after Mr Murphy, who was only elected last December, stepped down in the wake of the party's disastrous defeat in the General Election, when its tally of Scots MPs was slashed from 40 to one.
Ms Dugdale, the former deputy leader who enjoys the strongest support among the party's parliamentarians, will launch her campaign with a question-and-answer session in Edinburgh hosted by journalist and broadcaster Kevin McKenna.
Speaking ahead of the event, she said she would "shake things up".
She said: "Scotland needs a strong opposition that asks tough questions, not a one-party state where every institution and every cause is linked to just one political party.
"That wouldn't be good for Scotland.
"People need a champion against the cosy consensus in Scottish politics. I will be the anti-establishment voice Scottish society needs."
Speaking during a visit to a training centre in East Kilbride, Mr Macintosh, an MSP since 1999, said he would create an autonomous Scottish Labour within the UK party. Its base would move from Glasgow to Edinburgh.
Promising a different style of politics, he said: ""We need to be more generous in defeat, less tribal, less partisan and more open to working with others, more willing to build a progressive alliance across traditional political divides."
In the race for the deputy leadership Mr Baker, who has also won strong backing from fellow parliamentarians, said he wanted to be the "voice of the members" at the top of the party.
Mr Matheson, who is hoping to win a Holyrood seat in next May's Holyrood election, fell victim to a whispering campaign as rivals at Glasgow City Chambers sought to undermine his bid.
In a public snub, a number of prominent city councillors gave their backing to Mr Rowley.
One said Mr Matheson, whose authority as council leader has been challenged, accused him of using the contest as an "escape route" to boost his chances of getting to Holyrood.
Party members, affiliates and supporters will take part in a postal ballot starting next month, with the results declared on August 15.
A series of hustings will start on Monday in Edinburgh, followed by events in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee.
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