Montevideo, Nov 5 --(EFE)-- Locked in bitter rivalry for over 150 years, Uruguay's
 two mainstream parties are biting the bullet and working together to prevent a
 leftist who received the most votes in last weekend's election from becoming the
 country's next president.

 Sources said Friday talks were nearlye completed between the National or
 ``Blanco'' Party'' and the rival Colorado Party on a common platform that would
 allow them to join forces against cancer specialist Tabare Vazquez in the
 November 28 runoff.

 ``We are working against the clock,'' said one of the people close to the
 negotiations in uniting for the second round of balloting ton be held because none
 of the three main candidates obtained the 50 per cent plus one vote required for
 an outright victory

 In Sunday's elections, Vazquez, backed by a loose Marxist-led coalition called
 the Broad Front (FA), took 39 per cent of the vote while the Colorado candidate,
 Jorge Batlle, garnered 31.7 per cent.

 The Blanco ticket, headed by former president Luis Aberto Lacalle, trailed with
 21.5 per cent and was left in the kingmaker's role, though Lacalle himself has
 vehemently ruled out propping up a government of the left under any terms.

 Sources insisted only a few ``details'' remain to be ironed out for an understanding
 between the Blsncos and colorados both of which are center-right free market
 ideological clones but have fought tooth and nail for power since Uruguay became
 independent in the 1830s,

 Although a united electoral front appears a done deal, a minority sector in the
 ranks of the Blancos is just as opposed to Lacalle, whom they accuse of
 corruption during his 1990-95 administration, as they are to coming to terms with
 their ancient Colorado rivals.

 The man whom Lacalle beat in the primaries for the nomination, his former Interior
 minister Juan Andres Ramirez, has called for the Blancos to negotiate instead
 with Vazquez to obtain ministerial posts in what would be a leftist-led coalition
 government.

 According to the opinion polls conducted before the Sunday first- round elections,
 in a two-way contest between Vazquez and Batlle, Vazquez would get 42 per
 cent and Batlle 45 per cent of the vote, with abstentions and blank ballots
 accounting for the rest.

 Going by another survey, 51 per cent of those who voted for Lacalle in the first
 round would now back Batlle in the runoff, as opposed to 29 per cent of Blanco
 voters who would switch over to Vazquez.