Influential socialist politicians are moving to dump Mr Slobodan Milosevic as the party seeks to strike out as a post-revolution political force prior to Serbian elections - announced yesterday for December 24th.
The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) has announced a party congress for November 25th to "consolidate and strengthen" the party. It is considering a change of name to Euro Left-Centre, according to the Belgrade press.
Mr Zoran Lilic, former Yugoslav President, said: "Milosevic and his closest assistants should resign from all functions in the SPS. Everyone has to be brought to account for the huge election defeat." Mr Lilic's calls were supported by other respected socialists, many of whom like him, fell out of favour with the regime.
The news comes as information leaked out that the new President, Dr Vojislav Kostunica, had raised with diplomats his plan of trying Mr Milosevic in Yugoslavia and not The Hague.
But fierce battles still rage over the direction of the party and the fate of Mr Milosevic.
Mr Borisav Jovic is a former top official, still in the SPS but a Milosevic sceptic. He said: "Milosevic has lost the possibility of return in the near future, not only because he was catastrophically defeated but because he lost two levers of his power: the police and the army."
A break-up of the coalition with the Yugoslav Left (JUL) of Mr Milosevic's wife, Ms Mira-Markovic, now looks certain. The socialists have announced that they will run alone in the Christmas elections.
"I haven't met any member or officials of SPS who felt positive about the foundation of JUL or creation of JUL but the party was such that no one was willing to reject Milosevic's order," Mr Jovic said. Another SPS official, Mr Dobrivoje Budimirovic, described the party as "scum".
The socialist party's former general secretary, Ms Gorica Gajevic, submitted her resignation on Thursday under the threat of being ousted from the party, Politika newspaper said.
Her fate indicates the strength of the anti-Milosevic tide, for she was closely connected with the ruling couple. Her successor is Mr Zoran Andjelkovic.
The Serbian Prime Minister, Mr Milan Milutinovic, an indicted war criminal, has been named as party vice-president and analysts say this could mean that he will be elected as new leader at the party's early congress, replacing Mr Milosevic.