Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena offered former president Mahinda Rajapaksa a "distinguished office" if he quits politics, the Sunday Times reports.
The president made the offer to a six-member committee of the SLFP, which he recently appointed to bring together his faction with the faction of Mr Rajapaksa.
The committee had asked Mr Sirisena to allow the former president to take part in the forthcoming parliamentary campaign of the SLFP, but Mr Sirisena said Mr Rajapaksa will not be made a candidate. Instead he offered him a "Sambhavaneeya Thanathurak", a distinguished office.
"It is unreasonable for you’ll to be mediating on behalf of a person who has been rejected by the masses. How, can I act in direct contravention of my election manifesto which was endorsed by over six million people?" the president had asked, according to The Island.
Mr Rajapaksa rejected the offer when put to him by the committee and said the people wanted him to serve them.