President Rajapaksa has launched his campaign by paying his respects to Sri Maha Bodhi amd Ruwanweliseya on Monday

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said there could be a threat to Gen Sarath Fonseka's life "from his own camp".

The minister was responding to claims by former chief of defence staff (CDS) that his life is in danger as result of government reducing his security.

'Life in danger'

Gen Fonseka who formally announced his candidacy against incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming presidential elections, has complained that the security provided to him by the government is inadequate.

	Govt. says Gen Fonseka has joined 'LTTE camp'

Speaking to journalists in Colombo on Monday, Minister Alahapperuma said "friends of the LTTE" and "those who spent all of their life for the LTTE" are in Gen Fonseka's camp.

He told BBC's Elmo Fernando that breakaway LTTE leaders, Karuna and Pillayan who are currently with the government, have denounced violence and joined the democratic process.

The minister added that apart from the last five years, much details of Gen Fonseka's career are not known to the public.

Joining the press conference the Environment Minister Champika Ranawaka warned of an impending violence similar to that in 1993 during provincial council elections.

"Those forces that created the series of murders and counter murders might do the same to stop development process," the minister who is also a senior leader of Buddhist monk-led Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) said.