MOSCOW -- The former world chess champion Garry Kasparov entered Russia's presidential race on Sunday, elected overwhelmingly as the candidate for the country's beleagured opposition coalition.

Kasparov has been a driving force behind the coalition, which has united liberals, leftists and nationalists in opposition to President Vladimir Putin. He received 379 of 498 votes at a national congress held in Moscow by the Other Russia coalition, coalition spokeswoman Lyudmila Mamina told The Associated Press.

Kasparov's place on the ballot was not assured. His candidacy still needs to be registered and could be blocked.

He was followed by Sergei Gulyayev, a former member of St. Petersburg's Legislative Assembly, who received 59 votes, and former Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov with 18, Mamina said. The coalition was chosing among six candidates who had won regional primaries in recent months.

The Other Russia also chose Kasparov to be one of three candidates to head the coalition's list in parliamentary elections in December.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press