Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Likud Central Committee Tuesday that he intends to win the Likud leadership primaries, local newspaper Haaretz reported on its online edition.

However, Sharon refrained from saying that he would not quit the party and form a new one if he loses the vote.

"I do indeed plan to win and lead the Likud in the next elections so that the party can remain in power," Sharon said.

Tourism Minister Avraham Hirchson, a supporter of Sharon within the Likud Party, said Tuesday that the prime minister had no intention of forming a new party ahead of the 2006 elections.

In a direct challenge to Sharon, former Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his candidacy earlier this month for chairmanship of the Likud and the party's candidate for the premiership.

The party's court ruled two weeks ago that the Likud Central Committee would vote on Sept. 26 on a proposal to advance the party's leadership primaries, thereby effectively beginning the process of ousting Sharon as the party's head.

The expected primaries vote represents the first time that any party has tried to oust a serving prime minister as its chairman. It also represents a significant defeat for Sharon, who tried hard to prevent the central committee from convening for this purpose, as early primaries will force him to make decisions about his political future long before he had planned to do so.

Source: Xinhua