Election a federalist-sovereignist battle: Duceppe

Bloc Qubcois Leader Gilles Duceppe appears to be escalating his party's message amid a dramatic drop in poll numbers, saying the election is not a "left-right" battle, but a "fight between the federalists and the sovereignists."

Duceppe made the statement in aTwitterposton Saturday.

The Blocis facing stiff competition on the political left as it heads into the finalstretch of the election campaign. Recent polls have suggested the NDP isbuilding momentum, particularly in Quebec.

Christian Bourque of Leger Marketing said the NDP rise comes almost exclusively at the Blocs expense.

"Quebecers feel fairly comfortable with the centre-left platform of the NDP, its a safe place to go ideologically," Bourque said.

Duceppe has been pitching the Bloc as the best way to block a Conservative majority. But Bourque said Duceppe needs to find a way todifferentiate himself from the New Democrats.

"The only way he can do that is national unity," Bourque said.

However, some experts doubt that the apparent increase in NDP support will hold, or translate into many more seats.

"This is, for me, at this point avote of sympathyto the NDP but we will see ifthey will polarizeat the end of the campaign," said Guy Lachapelle, a former Parti Qubcois candidate who now teaches political science at Concordia University.

Heading into the election, New Democrats held just one seat in Quebec Thomas Mulcairs in the Outremont riding. The Bloc held 47 of the 75 seats in the province.

NDP Leader Jack Layton will hold a rally Saturday in Montreal, part of an effort to build momentum in Quebec.