The Democratic Unionist Party was today accused of wanting to hand a key Westminster seat to Sinn Féin as bitter electoral divisions within unionism deepened.
Ulster Unionist MP for Fermanagh and South Tyrone Mr Ken Maginnis launched a scathing attack on the anti-Belfast Agreement party after it vowed to wreck UUP plans to retain the seat.
Mr Maginnis claimed the DUP has now reached "crisis point" and challenged its leadership to debate publicly its alternatives to the peace process.
DUP deputy leader Mr Peter Robinson had earlier hinted his party was willing to pull its candidate from the constituency, Mr Maurice Morrow, if it would maximise the anti-Agreement vote.
Amid mounting speculation that local man Mr Jim Dixon was preparing to stand in the area, Mr Robinson said he would be prepared to discuss with him how best to approach the election.
"The important thing is we should not divide the anti-Agreement unionist vote in a constituency that could be lost to a pro-Agreement candidate," he told BBC Radio Ulster.
But Mr Maginnis, who is stepping down as MP at the general election, attacked Mr Robinson's tactics in what is set to be a closely contested ballot box battle.
Fermanagh lawyer Mr James Cooper has been chosen by the UUP to defend his seat against the threat from Sinn Féin MLA Ms Michelle Gildernew and SDLP Assembly member Mr Tommy Gallagher.
Mr Maginnis said: "Peter Robinson has made it exceedingly clear that he would rather surrender a seat and the authority that goes with it to Sinn Féin than to allow an Ulster Unionist to win it.
"He tries to wriggle out of it by saying the Ulster Unionists are in the Executive with Sinn Féin. That is a reality but not a voluntary choice."
Insisting the DUP have never offered any alternative to the Belfast Agreement, Mr Maginnis claimed the party was set to be found out by the public.
"It's the last fling from a party which has absolutely and utterly nothing positive to offer anybody," he said.
But Mr Robinson was adamant the UUP leadership was in conspiracy with Sinn Féin.
"They support the same policy as Sinn Féin does, they are going towards the same goals as Sinn Féin is going towards, and quite clearly they are doing so in the name of unionism," he claimed.
"If they haven't that veneer of unionism, giving support to this Agreement the government could not be able to uphold it.
"The sooner the government can recognise clearly through the ballot box that unionists do not support the Agreement then I believe we'll start the movement at that stage towards a structure in Northern Ireland that can enjoy the support of unionists as well as nationalists."
PA