The party's executive secretary Antanas Valys told BNS that all of the party's bureaus have decided to nominate Butkevičius, while one branch – Šilutė – has opted for Balčytis.
The Social Democratic Party will elect the new leadership at a congress in Vilnius on Saturday. The candidates will be officially nominated during the congress.
Balčytis said he has not yet decided whether to run in the election or withdraw his candidacy.
"It will depend on the character of statement to be made by the party's chairman, if it is good and features a bright perspective, I may withdraw. We'll discuss and see. I believe there should be a second candidate in the election, but the congress may nominate more," Balčytis told BNS.
In the parliamentary elections of October 2012, the Social Democrats won came in first winning 40 seats in the country's 141-seat parliament and formed the ruling center-left coalition with the Labor Party, the Order and Justice party, and the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania.
