Colombo  - Sri Lanka's military Friday denied widespread reports of a rift between the government and the former army commander who led the troops in the war against Tamil rebels.

The statement followed reports that Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka had fallen out with the government.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said in a statement false news was being published, alleging differences between General Fonseka and the government. The media speculations were "baseless and not true," he said.

"Such reports have been planted deliberately to create a rift between the government and the army which has won public confidence and popularity," the spokesman declared.

Reports about the alleged rift came after the government offered the former commander a post as secretary in the Sport Ministry, which the opposition claims was a move to ridicule him.

Opposition newspapers speculated that the government was turning against Fonseka following rumours that the general was considering to run in next year's presidential election against the incumbent, President Mahindra Rajapaksa.

Fonseka is popular among Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority for leading military operations against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam between 2006 and 2009. The rebels were decisively defeated in May, ending a 26-year civil war. (dpa)