Sri Lanka’s former top General Sarath Fonseka has claimed fears that he could launch a coup had led President Mahinda Rajapaksa to sideline him and ask India to put its troops on alert for an intervention.

In his resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by PTI, Fonseka said the Sri Lankan government had asked India on October 15 to place its troops on alert to be deployed on the island, in the event of a coup.

“This action did tarnish the image and reputation gained by the Sri Lankan Army as a competent and professional organisation which was capable of defeating a terrorist group,” the ex-Chief of Defence Staff said in a letter, which could foreshadow an election battle with the President.

Gen Fonseka quit his post as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) on Thursday night — a ceremonial position he was given after the campaign. His resignation has been accepted, according to highly placed sources here. Opposition parties expect Fonseka to challenge Rajapaksa in a Presidential election, expected early next year.

In a no-holds barred letter titled ‘Factors affecting my retirement from the regular force of the Army’, the former Army Chief said he was promoted to the new post with basically no authority due to misleading reports of a likely coup in the island nation.

“Various agencies misled Your Excellency (Rajapaksa) by stating that a coup was possible immediately after the victory over the LTTE which obviously led to a change of command in spite of my request to be in command until the Army celebrated its 60th Anniversary. This fear psychosis of a coup is well known among the defence circle,” Gen Fonseka said in his letter to the Sri Lankan President.

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