The businessman is seen as a driving force behind anti-government protests in Georgia last week, when President Mikeil Saakashvili imposed a 15-day state of emergency, after police fired tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets at opposition supporters in the capital, Tbilisi.
The opposition, "which unites 10 parties, will by all means nominate its candidate, but it will not be Badri Patarkatsishvili," David Zurabishvili, a Republican Party leader and a lawmaker, said on state television.
Zurabishvili said the protests were led by politicians like ex-Cabinet minister Giorgy Khaindrava and lawmaker Levan Gachechiladze, not the businessman.
Patarkatsishvili, who is reported to be in Israel facing charges of attempting a coup at home, has said in a statement he would run in the presidential elections - which Saakashvili announced to ease the political crisis that culminated in demands for his resignation - if the opposition fails to advance a single candidate.
"I made a decision not to allow a non-alternative presidential election... I will run in the polls under the motto 'Georgia without Saakashvili is Georgia without terror,'" the businessman said also promising to transfer most power to parliament if elected president.
Late last week, the opposition said they were discussing a candidate. But analysts have said the opposition camp lacks a leader to challenge Saakashvili, and it could fail to advance a single candidate in such a short time, something the president was staking his hopes on.
In his statement, Patarkatsishvili also called on other countries to help protect democracy in the Caucasus state, including by applying pressure on the president to lift emergency rule and related media restrictions.
The state-run Public Television is currently the only channel in Georgia allowed to broadcast news reports. Print media have complained about difficult access to newsmakers and lack of information from the regions.
Lifting the state of emergency will be the main demand the opposition will highlight at talks with Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze later on Monday, when opposition leaders will also press for democratic amendments to electoral proceedings.
"The state of emergency should be addressed in the first instance as well as pressure on opposition leaders and proper conditions for the election campaign. Our earlier demands will also be discussed," opposition lawmaker Zurab Tkemaladze said on Monday.
Saakashvili said late last week the state of emergency could be dropped early. "This will not happen under pressure, but when I see the country is moving to stability."
Several opposition leaders faced charges of espionage for Moscow and conspiracy to stage a coup amid the protests, the worst crisis during the tenure of Saakashvili, himself swept to power by street protests in 2003.
The charges against the majority of them have been dropped, but the whereabouts of opposition Liberal Party leader Shalva Natelashvili, who announced plans to run for the presidency on Monday, remain unknown.
"The decision [to run] was made in response to the challenge launched by the incumbent Georgian president," party secretary general Iosif Shatberashvili said, adding that Natelashvili would soon make an official announcement on his candidacy for the elections.
Russia has rejected the accusations, and the Georgian opposition denied having any links to the Kremlin, underlining their pro-Western course. On Wednesday, Tbilisi expelled three Russian diplomats on spying charges, Russia responded by deporting three Georgian diplomats.
A senior Georgian election official said on Monday Patarkatsishvili would be able to run in the January polls.
"Georgia's Constitution and election legislation do not bar people facing criminal charges from running in elections, as they are assumed innocent until convicted," said Archil Anasashvili, head of the Central Election Commission's legal department.
The violent crackdown on opposition rallies and emergency rule have caused sharp criticism from the West and NATO warnings that these events could affect the country's bid for membership in the alliance and other European integration aspirations.
