Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti has dropped his bid for the council presidency and will support incumbent council president Alex Padilla, a Garcetti aide said Friday.

Garcetti reached his decision Friday after a couple weeks of discussions with Padilla, Garcetti spokesman Josh Kamensky said.

Barring a last-minute challenge from another councilmember, Padilla now appears to have the enough votes to win election to a third term as council president. (The council will be reduced to 14 members on July 1 when Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa is sworn in as Mayor.)

The Web site laobserved.com first reported Garcetti’s decision on Friday, citing a deal under which Padilla would support handing over the presidency to Garcetti sometime next year when Padilla begins to campaign for the state Senate seat now held by the termed-out Richard Alarc & #243;n.

Kamensky declined to say whether the issue of succession was part of Garcetti’s talks with Padilla. Padilla’s office was closed Friday afternoon, heading into the Memorial Day holiday.