Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been asked to step down by two top ministers, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Sky TV reported.

Malcolm Turnbull reportedly called a news conference at Parliament House in Canberra, the Australian capital, on Monday.

Turnbull announced his resignation, saying that he was declaring a challenge to Abbott for the Liberal party leadership.

“A little while ago I met with the prime minister and advised him that I would be challenging him for the leadership of the Liberal party,” Turnbull told reporters. “This is not a decision that anyone could take lightly.”

Turnbull said that Abbott “has not been capable of providing the economic leadership,” and he “has not been capable of providing the economic confidence that business needs.”

Turnbull said that if Abbott tried to continue as Australia’s prime minister, “it is clear enough” what will happen. “He will cease to be prime minister and he’ll be succeeded by Mr [Bill] Shorten [the leader of the Australian Labor Party and leader of the opposition].”

Earlier in the day, Abbott dismissed speculation about his position as leader at a media event in South Australia.“I just am not going to get caught up in Canberra gossip, I’m not going to play Canberra games,” Abbott said. “I’m just not going to chase all of these rabbits down all of the burrows that you are inviting me to go down, I’m just not going to play the Canberra games.”

Turnbull, 60, led the Liberal Party until 2009, when he was defeated in a leadership vote by Abbott.

Abbott has called in his supporters for a meeting in a Liberal party room in the parliament building, Australian media reports.

Abbott’s Liberal Party-led coalition has a total of 90 MPs in the 150-member House of Representatives, including 58 members of the Liberal Party. According to the Australian constitution, the next federal election for the House of Representatives, the main legislative chamber of parliament, must be held by January 14, 2017 at the latest.