Plans to erect a statue of Mahatma Gandhi [Images] in the city centre of Leicester has run into trouble, with a section of the population favouring soccer icon and local hero Gary Lineker to be honoured instead.

Leicester has a high Asian population and is predicted to be Britain's first white-minority city in 12 years.

Samanwaya Parivar, a charity behind the plan for the 12ft bronze statue, is confident its application will be accepted by Leicester City Council.

Jitendra Acharya, the charity's general secretary, said it would fund the project at a cost of up to 20,000 pounds, and the proposal had overwhelming support from the community.

But locals like Lee Ingram, who set up an initial 'No Gandhi Statue' online petition, said they felt there were more deserving local figures.

"Gandhi is a historical figure connected to India. He has no connection to English culture or the English, therefore a statue of him would be more suitably erected in India. This would be yet another symbol of segregation in Leicester and it would be something else for the Asian community. We have local heroes here, Lineker or the writer, Joe Orton," Ingram said.

However, Acharya maintained that a Gandhi statue would add to the vibrant and multicultural elements of the city since "Gandhi's philosophies of truth, peace and non-violence had no boundaries."

Leicester MP Keith Vaz, who has tabled an early-day motion in Parliament to raise awareness of the project, said Gandhi's "philosophy of brotherhood among those of different religions and ethnicity should be honoured and celebrated. A statue of Gandhi will be an excellent symbol of Leicester's commitment to diversity."

Leicester Council leader Ross Willmott also supports Samanwaya Parivar's proposal.

"Gandhi was a person whose teachings transcended any particular nation or faith. His teachings and way of life showed us peace and non-violent protest can change the world. I would be proud to see a statue in our city that was a reminder to us all of his philosophy of peace," he said.

Britain currently has a statue of Gandhi in Tavistock Square in central London [Images] and Mayor Ken Livingstone wants to have one statue installed in the Parliament square.