Sinn Féin president Mr Gerry Adams tonight urged unionist voters to "make a quantum leap" in Northern Ireland's Assembly election and back his party.
As Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble challenged his main rival the Reverend Ian Paisley to a television debate, Mr Adams addressed the issue of transfers between parties under the proportional representation system.
In a surprise appeal to unionist voters, the West Belfast MP said: "It might seem a sort of a quantum leap for them to consider voting for republicans.
"But those unionists who live in deprived areas and economically disadvantaged areas, what value is the Union for them?
"Those unionists who think there is going to be a united Ireland anyway, why don't they endorse what we are doing in terms of the work that is being done across a range of issues - the seismic shifts, the quantum leaps, the imaginative initiatives which have come from republicans?
"So rather than be a spectator in some internal unionist debate or absence of a debate, we are in there pitching for pro-Good Friday Agreement votes from all the parties and also appealing above and beyond the Agreement for people to vote republican and to vote for a united Ireland."
Mr Adams accused the Democratic Unionists of "engaging in a huge con trick" and dismissed as nonsense claims from the SDLP that the battle was between them and the Reverend Ian Paisley's party in key constituencies.
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The DUP was also criticised by Mr David Trimble, who claimed there were inconsistencies in the Rev Ian Paisley's claim that they would not sit in government with Sinn Féin.
"Dr Paisley is running around the countryside avoiding studios, avoiding debate, avoiding participating with others," Mr Trimble said.
"So here's a challenge.
"I have participated in debates. I have been dealing with monkeys while the organ grinder is elsewhere. Now I want to have a proper debate at leadership level."
The DUP's Mr Nigel Dodds brushed off the Upper Bann's suggestion, claiming it was the tactic of a leader who knew his party was losing the election.
"Mr Trimble has very little support out on the ground and within his own party," the North Belfast MP retorted.
"He surrounds himself with nodding dogs which he can't even allow on TV. "In every television programme that I've seen it is Mr Trimble, Mr Trimble, Mr Trimble. Nobody else can be trusted to deliver the message and half his party and candidates won't even be seen anywhere near him."
The cross community Alliance Party launched its manifesto which called for the end of 50:50 police recruitment quotas for Protestants and Catholics, the introduction of hate crime laws in Northern Ireland and the amendment of fair employment regulations which force people to declare their religion at work.