The Progressive Socialist Party (PSP) and Lebanese Forces warned that the Hezbollah party and its allies were waging a "battle of elimination and existence" in the parliamentary elections.
Addressing an electoral rally in Mount Lebanon, head of the Democratic Gathering MP Taymur Jumblatt said: "You want to eliminate us, but we want partnership with everyone. You want to destroy the nation for others, while we want to build it for the Lebanese people."
"You want to hold Lebanon hostage of negotiations to protect the regime of killing and a nuclear Iran. We want a sovereign and independent Lebanon," he declared.
"Let us come together in partnership instead of elimination. This is a nation for everyone," he stressed.
LF MP Antoine Habshi said Hezbollah was waging an existential battle against the Lebanese Forces in eastern Lebanon.
Speaking at a press conference he remarked that the electoral battle in the Baalbek-al-Hermel district had recently taken a turn towards violence and intimidation instead of freedom and democracy.
He held the Interior Ministry and security forces responsible for the violations. He also said Hezbollah would be blamed for "any drop of blood spilled."
The MP had held the conference after three out of six Shiite electoral candidates withdrew from the same list that is backed by the LF in the Baalbek-al-Hermel district.
The LF said they were forced to quit the race after being pressured by Hezbollah.
Moreover, Habshi charged that Hezbollah was bribing opponents a million Lebanese pounds and voters two million pounds so they would not take part in the elections.
He added that the party was even confiscating the identification cards of Shiite opponents to prevent them from voting.
The party dismissed the claims, saying they were part of a smear campaign against it.
Party MP Hassan Ezzedine said: "We are competing so that the turnout would be very high We are therefore seeking not only the victory of Hezbollah lists, but also the national ones that were formed through alliances between Hezbollah and its allies across the country."
He stressed that the party had formed national lists and were competing for victory in the elections that "would shape a new political scene that wants to address the country's crises and the people's suffering."
