There are now officially two people competing to be the leader of Manitoba's New Democrats.

Wab Kinew held a press conference by the statue of Louis Riel at the Legislature this morning to declare his candidacy.

Answering a question about in-party-fighting prior to last year's election, Kinew said people who were once divided in the party are already coming together, and he expects to keep working towards that end.

"I expect to continue putting in work over the coming months and hopefully years to bring unity and to unify because while people may have been on different sides of the issues in the past, I recognize that now is the time for a new direction and we owe it to Manitobans to get our act together."

Kinew says his party was sent a message in the last election -- when they were ousted by the PCs after 17 years in power.

He says if he wins the NDP leadership bid, he will work over the next three and a half years to build a strong team.

"A strong team to give Manitobans a strong choice in the next election, a real choice this time. And so I will build a strong team with new faces, with new ideas, to bring New Democrats in a new direction."

Michelle McHale is also running; she entered her name last month.

The NDP will elect a new leader in September.