Embattled president defiant, ready for referendum

A day after opposition chief Andry Rajoelina called on him to “humbly resign,” Madagascar’s President Marc Ravalomanana said he would not quit and was ready to face a “referendum if necessary”.Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana said Sunday he is ready to hold a referendum to settle a months-long deadly stand-off with a rival leader on the Indian Ocean island. "I remain in power. I have no fear of a referendum if necessary," he told 5,000 of his supporters gathered outside the presidential palace moments after telling reporters he would "never" bow to calls to quit office. Ravalomanana was accompanied by a plain-clothes armed guard -- while his rival Andry Rajoelina, guarded by troops, led prayers at a separate religious service in the centre of Antananarivo attended by 3,000 of his backers.Madagascar's opposition claimed to have toppled the government and taken control of the army Saturday, calling on Ravalomanana to "humbly leave power in the next four hours" as his side promised fresh elections.