Manitoba premier Brian Pallister says that he will be stepping down this week, two months ahead of his party's leadership vote.

Pallister made the announcement on Sunday, Aug. 29, saying he will be resigning on Wednesday.

"The dangers of not leaving [this week] are that false allegations will be made about me trying to influence the outcome [of the leadership vote]," Pallister says in an interview with The Canadian Press.

"And I have not, in any way, shape or form," he says.

The Canadian Press reports that the Tory caucus is to choose an interim leader this week to hold office until the party's leadership vote.

Pallister became the leader of the provincial Conservative party in 2012 after an unopposed leadership bid. He had previously served as MP for the Portage-Lisgar riding first as a Canadian Alliance member, and then as a Conservative.

In April 2016 Pallister led the Manitoba Conservative Party to one of the largest majority governments ever, winning 40 of 57 seats.

Earlier this month Pallister announced that he would be retiring before the next election. The Manitoba Conservative Party has chosen Oct. 30 as the date they will choose their new leader. So far three candidates have announced their intentions to run for the position of leader of the party and premier of Manitoba; former health minister Heather Stefanson, former MP Shelly Glover, and MLA Shannon Martin.