ANTANANARIVO, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Two advisors to outgoing Madagascan Transitional Prime Minister Monja Roindefo were arrested on Monday by police for possessing illegal weapons, local media reported.

    Categorically denying the accusation, Roindefo claimed "the police arrested my advisors (Fidelis Andriamanananony and Francky Randriamanjaka) because of rumors," decrying the "totalitarian drift "and the "police state."

    Roindefo, who is in litigation against the transitional President Andry Rajoelina, pinned the latter on how he would react if he took similar move as his advisors.

    When the State Council declared Roindefo incompetent on Thursday in his dispute with Rajoelina over the appointment of Eugene Mangalaza in his replacement, Roindefo claimed that the judge who announced the verdict at the hearing was already retired at the age of 65.

    Roindefo, 44, also said that in terms of hierarchy, the State Council is not under the justice minister, who wrote down instructions on Roindefo's case on Oct. 21.

    Roindefo said the decree appointing Mangalaza was not legal and did not comply with the agreement signed by Rajoelina and former presidents Marc Ravalomanana, Didier Ratsiraka and Albert Zafy on Aug. 9 in Maputo, Mozambique.

    The resolution of the meeting between the four political camps with the International Contact Group on Oct. 6 in Antananarivo decided to replace Roindefo by Mangalaza from Ratsiraka's camp, prompting Roindefo to declare that he would not leave the prime minister palace to another one and he would be a candidate in the coming presidential election.

    Following Roindefo's statement, cabinet ministers showed their rebellion against the prime minister. The decree came within hours on the appointment of Mangalaza by Rajoelina to replace Roindefo.