The British and Irish governments must "put it up" to the DUP on March 26th by testing whether the party will enter into a devolved powersharing Stormont administration, according to the SDLP leader, Mark Durkan.
Mr Durkan, who launched the SDLP election campaign in the Edge venue in Belfast yesterday, accused the DUP of trying to "cook up a Plan C" as an alternative to the two existing proposals: powersharing with Sinn Féin and the other main parties, and the governments' "Plan B", a stronger role for Dublin in the affairs of the North if there were no devolution.
"This proves that they don't take the governments' rhetoric about devolution or dissolution on March 26th seriously. They just hear it - and they sneer at it," he said. "We are calling on the governments to end the games and devolve on March 26th come what may. That would put it up to the DUP to form an executive.
"But even if they don't and the Assembly is then dissolved, at least we will be clear on who exactly is responsible. That, at least, would end the uncertainty," Mr Durkan said.
He argued that devolution could not succeed with the DUP and Sinn Féin determining politics in Northern Ireland. "Left to themselves, the DUP and Sinn Féin can't make it work," he said.
The SDLP is standing 35 candidates in the Assembly elections, 14 of whom are women. It is contesting each of the North's 18 constituencies. Mr Durkan predicted the party would gain on the 18 seats won in the 2003 elections. He indicated the party was aiming for a first seat in Strangford, and an additional seat in Newry and Armagh.
