Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble has been accused of being in a "state of blind panic" at the prospect of next month's Assembly elections.
His rival and Democratic Unionist deputy leader, Mr Peter Robinson, claimed Mr Trimble's party was "running scared" of elections on May 29th and was engaged in a concerted campaign to persuade the Government to move the date for a second time.
The East Belfast MP claimed: "David Trimble and the Ulster Unionist Party have been reduced to a state of blind panic by the prospect of an election on May 29.
"It is perfectly clear that Trimble is running scared and is afraid to face the electorate he has treated with such contempt over the past five years. It is obvious that there is a concerted campaign going on by the UUP and its hangers-on to delay the election once again," he claimed."Any and every smokescreen is used to try to ensure that people are denied the opportunity to punish the UUP in the crazy belief that six months would affect the outcome!"
Northern Ireland Secretary Mr Paul Murphy last month postponed the elections to May 29th in a bid to buy more time for acceptance of the British and Irish governments' proposals for restoring devolution.
However the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, have refused to release their blueprint because they believe the IRA has not been clear enough about its future. With the peace process deadlocked, speculation has been mounting at Stormont that the poll could be delayed for a second time.
In an article in last night's Belfast Telegraph, Mr Trimble's adviser, Mr Steven King, questioned the logic of holding an election next month.
The Northern Ireland Secretary has conceded the elections could take place during the suspension of devolution. But he added: "That is not our aim."
Mr Robinson argued today that any effort to postpone the Assembly Election would be based on the assumption that the UUP could be defeated by the Democratic Unionists. "All the other justifications given are irrelevant against this single fact," he said."Indeed the Ulster Unionists have even been reduced to making threats about participating in any Assembly elected. It is quite remarkable the depths to which the Ulster Unionist Party will go in order to save its own skin".
PA