The DUP leadership has called on Ulster Unionists to agree candidates ahead of the General Election in a bid to recapture key constituencies currently held by nationalists.
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On Tuesday, DUP MLAs voted in favour of the devolution of policing and justice powers from Westminster despite opposition from the UUP.
"We appeal to the Ulster Unionists despite our differences, despite the fact that they voted against us yesterday to come with us, find unity to try and win seats back for unionism at the next election", DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds told UTV.
First Minister Peter Robinson insisted his door was open to agree candidates in key constituencies including South Belfast and Fermanagh and South Tyrone.
"Only 41 days remain to give unionists what they clearly want- agreed candidates in constituencies where a unionist can re-take a seat from Sinn Fein or the SDLP", Mr Robinson said.
"My door is always open," he added.
Last month a newspaper poll found that most unionists wanted a single candidate in tightly contested constituencies.
The Belfast Telegraph survey, conducted in the wake of the Hillsborough deal, showed strong unionist support for a DUP-UUP pact.
It also revealed that the gap between the DUP and Ulster Unionists, in terms of support, was closing.
"We are responding to the grassroots unionist opinion of ordinary people who are saying overwhelmingly that they want to see unionist unity and we want to see that unity brought about", Mr Dodds told UTV.
The UUP and the DUP met at the Orange Order headquarters in Belfast in December 2009, amid mounting speculation over a possible merger.
Further talks were also held at Hatfield House in England in January, chaired by shadow Northern Ireland secretary Owen Paterson.
But the UUP leader Sir Reg Empey, who agreed an electoral pact with the Conservative party, later dismissed talk of a formal link up with the DUP.
On Wednesday Mr Dodds said the UCUNF alliance between Sir Reg and David Cameron suffered from the Ulster Unionists' refusal to endorse devolution of policing and justice.
"Cameron backed the deal. Empey voted against it", Mr Dodds said.
"The cold reality is that they are bitterly divided and incapable of providing leadership."
But UUP MLA for Strangford David McNarry said the DUP had ditched the chance for greater co-operation with his party.
"Clearly the DUP have consummated their political marriage to Sinn Fein and in doing so ditched the prospect of unionist unity," he said.
© UTV News