Before casting his ballot in the chief executive poll, Mr Li, the younger son of tycoon Li Ka-shing, said: 'I hope that on the same day five years later, I can vote alongside the general public.'

In December, Mr Li raised eyebrows with his declaration that universal suffrage was the way to achieve real democracy, but he later decided to nominate Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, saying the incumbent would be more effective at resolving the issue of democracy within his second term. Mr Li declined to reveal how he voted yesterday.

However, he later attended a press conference held by pan-democratic Election Committee members, who announced the formation of the Professional Alliance for Hong Kong after the vote, although he did not deliver a speech.

Speaking on behalf of the newly formed alliance, engineer Albert Lai Kwong-tak said the group not only aimed to push for democracy but also to create a platform for professionals in Hong Kong to engage in and express their views on public affairs.

The alliance would also monitor the government through professional input as well as promoting core values such as professional independence, freedom and integrity, said Mr Lai.

He said more than 50 professionals from nine Election Committee subsectors had joined the alliance so far and he expected the number would continue to increase, adding that details of the future operation of the group would be decided later.

Civic Party chief executive challenger Alan Leong Kah-kit and other pan-democrats yesterday vowed to continued fighting for universal suffrage in 2012 and to build on the experience gained and the bonds forged during electioneering over the past few months.

'We have collected over 50,000 signatures on petitions for universal suffrage in 2012. This is evidence of Hong Kong people's hope for change and their courage to change,' said Mr Leong in his election speech. He also said the united force that had been formed could improve the chances of success in the forthcoming district council and Legislative Council elections.

In an attempt to keep the momentum of democracy going, Democrat Yeung Sum, one of the key election strategists for Mr Leong, said 21 pan-democratic legislators would send a letter to Mr Tsang asking for a meeting to discuss their constitutional reform proposal.

'We hope that the Commission on Strategic Development can discuss it during their meetings and incorporate the proposal into the green paper,' said Dr Yeung.

Mr Tsang has pledged that a green paper will be issued in the middle of the year to outline three models for universal suffrage to gauge the public's views on the design, road map and timetable for the city's route to full democracy.

Another key strategist, Ronny Tong Ka-wah of the Civic Party, said co-operation among pan-democratic allies had consolidated the bond between his party and the Democratic Party. The next step in the alliance would be to lobby leading figures in business and other sectors for more support for their universal suffrage proposal through the parties' networks.

Mr Tong and Civic Party leader Audrey Eu Yuet-mee said they had not considered whether Mr Leong's campaign would consolidate their party's status as the new leader of the pan-democratic movement.

Mr Tong admitted Mr Leong's relatively low popularity rating had tarnished the campaign's success. 'We really have to review what has gone wrong, whether it was a problem of the campaign or whether the public did not take our slogan well.'