A senior minister of the Sri Lankan government said Sunday that President Mahinda Rajapake has no intention to be in power beyond the period mandated by the ballot.

Minister of Mass Media, Information and Enterprise Development Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said in a statement that the wish of the president was to seek re-election following democratic norms.

Yapa's comment came shortly after a local English newspaper, the Sunday Times reported that the government proposes to introduce constitutional amendments aimed at extending the term of office of Rajapakse without holding a presidential election.

As a prelude to the introduction of constitutional changes, an island wide campaign on gathering public support for the move had been initiated, the newspaper said.

"The president can call a presidential election after Nov. 19, 2009 or after he completes his first term in office in 2011," said the statement.

Yapa said the president firmly believed and placed his faith in the system of democratic governance and norms.

While acknowledging that there was indeed a popular call by the people for Rajapakse to continue for a further period uncontested, Yapa said the wish of the president was to seek re-election following democratic norms.

"He is today a very popular president and the people will definitely respond positively in his favor at an election to express their gratitude to a leader who saved his nation and his people from the clutches of cruel terrorism to make headway towards development," Yapa said in the statement.

Rajapakse is credited for leading a successful military offensive against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which began to fight against the government in the 1980s based on claims that the minority Tamils were discriminated by the majority Sinhalese dominated governments.

Source: Xinhua