The invention provides a novel process for the preparation of lercanidipine or a pharmaceutical acceptable salt using novel intermediates. Thus, 2,N-dimethyl-N-(3,3-diphenylpropy1)-1-amino-2-propanol is reacted with trimethylsilyl chloride in presence of triethyl amine in methylene chloride to give 2,N-dimethyl-2-(trimethylsilyloxy)-N-(3,3-diphenylpropy1)-1-propanamine, which is then reacted with 2,6-dimethyl-5-methoxycarbonyl-4-(3-nitrophenyl)-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carbonyl chloride for 2 hours and crystallized to obtain lercanidipine hydrochloride.