DUP deputy leader Peter Robinson has castigated UKUP leader Robert McCartney over comments he made in yesterday's Irish Timesabout his wish to see the DUP vote splintered so that Sinn Féin would win more seats than the DUP.
In such an eventuality Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness would be entitled to the first minister post rather than DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley.
Mr McCartney said he would welcome such an outcome because in practical terms it would mean that devolution would not be feasible because unionists would not tolerate Mr McGuinness as first minister.
His comments infuriated Mr Robinson. "Robert McCartney's publicly confessed aim in this election is to split the unionist vote and ensure Sinn Féin becomes the largest party," he said.
He added that anyone proposing fragmenting the unionist vote must be given their "marching orders".
"By the end of this campaign either the DUP or Sinn Féin will be the largest political party in the Assembly. It is vital unionists mobilise to stop Sinn Féin achieving their ambition of becoming the largest party in the province," he said.
In an implicit reference to Mr McCartney acting as the rallying focus and effective leader of unionist opposition to the DUP, Mr Robinson said: "a vote for fringe or independent candidates in this election endangers the unionist majority in a future executive".
"The DUP is the only party capable of winning more seats in this election, thus preventing and frustrating the Sinn Féin strategy to become the largest party in Northern Ireland," he added.
Assembly candidate Anna Lo meanwhile called for the "Berlin Wall" of segregation to be knocked down in Northern Irelannd. Ms Lo, who is standing in South Belfast, said local taxpayers would be shocked at the financial waste segregation brings, which she put at £1 billion (€1.492 billion).
"If we had one integrated school instead of two segregated ones, we could save vast amounts of money and reinvest the cash saved into other key services," she said yesterday.
"Segregation is seriously damaging our economy," said Ms Lo. "Nowhere else in the UK does the government provide two separate sets of services so that people remain segregated."
Gerry Kelly, Sinn Féin North Belfast candidate, reiterated that republicans should assist in convicting the killers of Short Strand man Robert McCartney.
On BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme yesterday Mr Kelly was challenged by Mr McCartney's sister Catherine to make clear Sinn Féin's approach regarding her brother's murder.
Mr Kelly responded by saying: "People should bring forward information [ about the McCartney murder] and should do it without delay."
One of the major issues in the election regards water charges, beginning April 1st, and thus far it seems to be an issue that unites all parties. Esmond Birnie, UUP candidate for South Belfast, has called for a change in the scheme.