MONTHS after the National Transformation Alliance's (NTA) collaboration with the United National Congress (UNC) for the local government elections, the two parties' leaders appear to have fallen out over the role of smaller parties.

UNC leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, speaking at the UNC's cottage meeting on Monday night, said the party welcomes entities and individuals seeking to join forces to unseat the ruling People's National Movement (PNM) government.

But she said their vision must align with the UNC's and 'bring something to the table.'

She said the party's supporters will not be disrespected by other parties or called sheep by those wishing to piggyback on the party's support base and resources.

Persad-Bissessar even came out in rare defence of the ruling PNM supporters, saying neither they nor opposition voters should be accused of voting along racial lines.

Persad-Bissessar directed her message to smaller and newer political parties who accuse the UNC and PNM of tribal politics.

'That is more of a talking point used by people trying to forge a political space that has never been carefully analysed,' Persad-Bissessar told supporters.

'The notion that some peddle about, that people want something other than the UNC or PNM, meaning, people want them…and then say a vote for us is a tribal vote - it is not true.'

She said there are single-issue and multi-issue voters in democracies and that 'the UNC has all of these voters within us.'

Persad-Bissessar prefaced her message by welcoming individuals or groups who share the party's vision.

The party, she said, 'should embrace individuals or groups who share our vision for mainstream politics rather than just a parochial vision…our vision for development, for service to people.

'But, at the same time, we must demand discipline and equal effort from those who wish to join us.'

She said third parties are 'welcome but must carry their weight.'

The opposition leader reiterated her invitation to work with smaller parties, saying, 'I, again, publicly invite any smaller party, stakeholder, independent and unaligned group to speak with us, to work together to rescue our country.'

But she added that, while the party invites others to join the UNC to unseat the government, 'I've said it before and I'll say it again - I will not tolerate any disrespect to our hard-working rank and file supporters of the UNC.'

She said it is also important that organisations, especially political parties, have an elected leader.

'We have 300,000-plus members; do not play the fool with us. We respect our membership.'

Although she did not address any party or entity, NTA leader Gary Griffith issued a scathing response in a media release on Tuesday afternoon, saying he was 'disheartened' by Persad-Bissessar's rhetoric and insulted on behalf of smaller parties who have helped the UNC in the polls.

He said her comments disrespected those who helped the People's Partnership (PP) take office in 2010.

'(Persad-Bissessar) appears to have forgotten the importan