Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Sri Lanka’s top general, Sarath Fonseka, quit his post and may challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa in elections slated for next year, Agence France- Presse reported, citing officials it didn’t name.

Fonseka, 58, was made the chief of defense staff, with no command responsibilities after being the army chief during military operations that defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May, according to the report.

“No, I cannot confirm it,” military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said in a telephone interview from the capital, Colombo. “There is no statement from the military or from his office,” he said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Jay Shankar in Bangalore at jshankar1@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 12, 2009 05:56 EST