Veteran pan-democratic lawmaker Frederick Fung Kin-kee, known for his moderate stance towards Beijing, is joining the race for a seat on the state legislature, while pan-democratic groups are working to use their votes strategically.
The Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood's standing committee yesterday endorsed Mr Fung to participate in the National People's Congress election.
Mr Fung resigned as association chairman in the wake of its poor results in November's district council elections.
The decision came a day after the Democratic Party decided to field legislator James To Kun-sun and fellow party member Mak Hoi-wah in the poll.
The pan-democratic camp has about 100 voters on the 1,231-member election panel, which is scheduled to pick 36 local deputies to the NPC on January 25.
Mr Fung, whose party is known for its policy of simultaneously 'negotiating with and confronting' Beijing, joined the Provisional Legislative Council in 1996. The council was set up by Beijing when the 'through-train' arrangement for the Legislative Council after the handover failed.
He was defeated in his previous attempt in an NPC election, in 2002.