General Sarath Fonseka (file photo)Sri Lanka's president Friday gave the country's top military figurepermission to leave his post immediately, a day after the army generalsubmitted retirement papers to his commander-in-chief.

In his2,200-word retirement request submitted Thursday General Sarath Fonsekasays he was misled about his promotion this year to chief of defensestaff, finding that he had "basically no authority."

There isintense speculation that Fonseka, who is saying he will continue toserve his country, will soon challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa inan election.  

The general, credited with leading his troops tovictory over the Tamil Tiger rebels, in his letter to Mr. Rajapaksa,accuses senior government politicians of spreading rumors about himbeing a "traitor." He is referring to reports that the Army wasplanning a coup following the end of the 25-year-long civil war.

GeneralFonseka, in the letter, says Sri Lanka asked India on October 15 toplace troops on alert in case they would be needed to intervene to foila coup on the island.

A veteran Indian army intelligenceofficer, retired Colonel Ramani Hariharan, in Chennai tells VOA Newsthere has been anxiety in India about what he calls Sri Lanka's"unwieldy" military.

"That had been a matter of concern fornot only Sri Lanka's government but all the areas around - 300,000armed men in such a small island after the war," he said. "It would bea potential threat to sort of a democratic government. So thegovernment of India is capable of responding.

Indianpeacekeeping forces were invited to the Tamil north of theSinhalese-dominated island nation by Colombo in 1987. India's soldierswithdrew in humiliation three years later after failing to neutralizethe Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

Retired Indian army MajorGeneral Dipankar Banerjee, dismisses worries of a potential coup andIndian re-intervention, but says Fonseka may desire to use the latterpossibility for political currency.

"Indian-Sri Lankanrelations are very good," he said. "And military expansionor capability poses no threat to India. But Sarath Fonseka would playonto the sentiments within Sri Lanka, trying to play up the Indianmilitary threat to Sri Lanka, in order to gain popularity within hisown country."

Both the president and the general are highly popular figures in wake of the victory over the Tamil rebels.

Inhis request to be relieved of duty, General Fonseka asked the presidentto allow him to keep a security detail, including trained combatsoldiers, and a bullet proof vehicle, saying the defeated rebels areyet capable of trying to kill him.

Fonseka, in 2006, survived an assassination attempt when a suicide bomber attacked his motorcade.