A protracted power struggle between President Marc Ravalomanana and opposition leader Andry Rajoelina prompted the army chief to threaten a take-over Tuesday unless the rivals resolved the crisis in three days.

In a surprise move, his peers had him replaced with a colonel who took a tough stance against Ravalomanana. "He should step aside because there is no point now of persisting," new army chief Andre Andriarijaona said.

The Indian Ocean island's president has appeared increasingly isolated as a result but the military, under both army chiefs, stressed it was acting only in the interest of civil order and laying no claim to power.

Since the start of the year, the 34-year-old Rajoelina has mounted a fierce challenge against the iron-fisted rule of Ravalomanana, whom he describes as a dictator starving his people.

Around 100 people have already died in violence stemming from the political crisis and Ravalomanana decided last week to clamp down on the revolt, preventing rallies and briefly forcing Rajoelina into hiding.

Last week, a key military camp on the outskirts of the capital Antananarivo mutinied, with soldiers vowing they were no longer taking orders from the president and refusing to turn their weapons against the population.

Whilst not officially choosing sides, the new chief of staff however said if the former Antananarivo mayor is "the solution that will bring peace in Madagascar then we will support him."

On Thursday, the police pledged to work with the new army chief to find a solution to the months-old crisis that has claimed more than 100 lives, many at the hands of the security forces.

Local observer Jean-Eric Rakotoharisoa said the army's move was not tantamount to support for Rajoelina.

"Nothing indicates that the military are favouring Andry Rajoelina. They did that to quickly resolve the situation. Perhaps they will force the parties to negotiate," he told AFP.

The twists and turns of the crisis -- with an institutional tug-of-war bordering on the absurd and popular discontent not quite coming to a head -- has left Madagascans in a vacuum that the military is trying to fill.

Both the army chief and the police commander have rejected the idea of a military government, saying their aim is the security and peace of the population.

"We are not here for a coup d'etat or to install a military administration. Politicians are the ones with the responsibility to solve the problems," Ndriarijaona said.

"A military administration is not envisaged. The armed forces are not political, therefore there should be no involvement in political affairs," police commander Gilbain Pily said.

However a source close to the military told AFP that the army was bursting with years of bottled up frustration at Ravalomanana.

"There was a real dissatisfaction and anger accumulated over the years due to lack of money, budget shortfalls and lack of consideration for the army by the president," who has relied heavily on his personal guard, said the official, asking not to be named.

The army, comprising around 11,000 soldiers, has also been irked by constant changes made by Ravalomanana on the forces.

"The president is under pressure to step down... and for the moment the army is trying to manage the country's affairs," said the official.

Ravalomanana has been faced with his greatest challenge since his re-election in 2006 and on Tuesday admitted he had made mistakes in the crisis, reiterating that he was open for talks.

But his rival, who walked out on negotiations last month accusing the president of taking opposition concerns lightly, announced he would not attend crisis talks this week.

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