NEW DELHI, Jan 10: An Indian communist leader on Saturday suggested former finance minister Manmohan Singh as the opposition candidate for prime minister.

Manmohan Singh, 71, is a member of the Congress party and scripted India's transition from a socialist to free market economy as finance minister from 1991 to 1996.

Somnath Chatterjee, leader of the Communist Party of India, the third largest party in parliament, said Mr Singh would be a "good prime minister".-AFP