A new challenger for the top post of the influential International Monetary Fund has come in the person of South African former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel was reported to be challenging France's Christine Lagarde for the top post in the International Monetary Fund (IMF), reports said.

According to emergingmarkets.com, Mr Manuel was backed by South African President Jacob Zuma for his bid as leader of the multilateral institution. Developing nations led by Africa, Brazil, and China had been vocal in seeking more representation to the IMF after beleaguered Mr Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned from the top post.

Ms Lagarde, the frontrunner to lead the IMF, told AFP on Thursday that she felt 'very positive' about her talks in Beijing and backed China's right to fill a top job at the global lender.

She recently visited China and held marathon talks with leaders of the Politburo to get their support and is on Friday in Lisbon to try and persuade African support. Before that, Ms Lagarde also visited India and spoke with its leaders.

Since Mr Strauss-Kahn was forced to step down from his post late last month, leaders from developing nations led by China, India and other emerging nations wanted some change in the leadership of the IMF.

They have criticised the idea the tradition that Europe's traditional lock on the leadership of the Washington-based IMF, calling the arrangement outdated, and so far have been non-committal in public about Ms Lagarde's bid.

The France finance chief indicated in her interviews with the media that she was satisfied with her meetings with the leaders of China and India, but they will be left to convey their decision soon.