Liberal Leader Jean Charest is trying to distance himself from Stephen Harper after the prime minister announced he would stay out of Quebec jurisdictions -- but only if a federalist government is elected on Monday.
"Quebecers will decide who forms their government on Monday,'' Charest said on Thursday.
"Quebec decides, Quebecers as a whole decide, who forms the government, and then we give our government a mandate to defend our interests," Charest added.
Harper said on Wednesday he will negotiate his role in Quebec affairs if the new provincial government does not have a separatist agenda.
In response, Charest said, "It's not someone from outside Quebec, even if it's the prime minister of Canada, who can decide who he will negotiate with."
The Liberal premier has come under fire recently for being too close to the prime minister.
Parti Quebecois Leader Andre Boisclair also weighed in on the prime minister's comments saying Harper is trying to blackmail the province.
Much like Charest, Boisclair contended Quebecers and not the prime minister will decide the outcome of the new government.
Separatists have accused the government of interfering in the provincial election after Monday's budget revealed billions in cash transfers to the province only days before the election.
Harper's move was deemed ironic by critics after Monday's budget.
The Tory's campaign promise of financial gains for Quebec helped the Conservatives gain 10 seats in the province and was a key factor in securing the minority Tory government.
However, Public Works Minister Michael Fortier, the Conservative minister responsible for the Montreal region, defended the prime minister by saying nobody is telling Quebecers how to vote.
Meanwhile, Mario Dumont, the dark horse leader of the Action democratique party, followed suit by accusing the prime minister of interfering in the election campaign.
Dumont predicted his ADQ party will win more than 15 of the province's 125 seats; a showing that would triple their current representation.
"We have a platform that we think has some important changes for Quebec, and we are fighting for our ideas," Dumont said.
The ADQ boasts strong support in Quebec City and has made some headway in Central Quebec and in areas north of Montreal.
However, Dumont's right-of-centre party has yet to receive official party status in the national assembly.
If Dumont's support holds it could mean a minority government for the province. Quebec has not had a minority government since 1878.
Controversy
While Dumont may be on a personal high note, he has run into more problems with his controversial candidates.
Gilles Gagnon, ADQ candidate in Abitibi-Est, accused European and American Jews of waging war for economic reasons on his business website.
Gagnon issued a press release on Wednesday night apologizing for the comments and has since shut down the site.
Chapleau candidate Jocelyn Dumais was also in hot water for accusing white-collar bureaucrats of being disengaged from the public. The candidate went onto say some hospitals have more staff sitting behind desks than helping the sick.
Earlier in March, Dumont dumped candidate Christian Raymond after disparaging remarks were made to a newspaper regarding Quebec's immigrant population.
Deux Montagnes candidate Jean-Francois Plante was also dismissed after he made light of violence against women, on International Women's Day, while on an Internet radio show.
With files from the Canadian Press
