Chancellor Sajid Javid has refused to rule out the Tories striking an election pact with Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.
Javid would only say his party does not “need” electoral alliances.
The Tories will come under pressure to do a deal with Farage to avoid defeat if a snap poll is held before Britain leaves the EU, as the Brexit Party could eat into its vote.
Farage on Sunday urged the Conservatives to give his Brexit Party a free run at targeting traditional Labour heartlands in the North, Midlands and Wales.
The former Ukip leader, writing in the Sunday Telegraph, said the offer of a non-aggression pact was “100% sincere” and would help return Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Downing Street.
Steve Baker, chair of the hardline Brexiteer Tory European Research Group, has said his party will have to do a deal with Farage if an election comes before Brexit.
On BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, Javid was repeatedly asked to publicly rule out a pact with the Brexit Party, which Johnson is believed to have privately ruled out.
He told the BBC: “We don’t need an electoral alliance with anyone. We can stand on our own two feet, put our message across.
“The picture our opponents are painting of us, of course they would paint a false picture. We are a proud centre right, moderate, one nation party.
“There is nothing extremist about wanting to meet the will of the British people on a simple question which was do you want to leave the EU or not.
“We are not in election yet. I am clear we do not need an alliance with anyone.”
Farage said wants to see the Tories leave the path clear for the Brexit Party in seats like Wansbeck, currently held by Labour chairman Ian Lavery, and West Bromwich East, held by deputy leader Tom Watson.
In return, the Brexit Party would not contest seats where they could split the so-called Leave vote, the Telegraph reported.
Farage wrote: “If the general election which this country so badly needs is to result in the pro-Brexit outcome which the majority of voters crave, Johnson must agree an electoral pact with the Brexit Party.
“Johnson should cast his mind back to the European elections in May, in which his party came fifth, and ask himself: does he want the Tories to find themselves in a similarly disastrous position when the results of the next general election come in, or does he want to sign a non-aggression pact with me and return to Downing Street?
“We are not playing political games. I have spent more than 25 years fighting for Brexit. It is now within our grasp.”
Meanwhile, the Brexit Party has taken out adverts in a number of Sunday newspapers with “an election offer for Boris”.
The adverts say “Let’s have a clean-break Brexit, then we will help you secure a big Brexit majority and destroy Corbyn’s Labour.
“Together we would be unstoppable.”
The Brexit Party took 30.5% of the national vote at the European elections in May and gained 29 of the 73 United Kingdom seats, while the Conservatives won only four seats and 8.8% of the vote coming in fifth.