National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir claimed Sunday that the Prime Minister’s Office promised several European Union countries that his Otzma Yehudit party would not be included in the next government, an accusation the Likud party swiftly denied just nine days before the October 27 elections.

“According to verified and confirmed information that has reached me in recent days, the Prime Minister’s Office has officially pledged to a number of countries in the European Union that Ben Gvir will not be part of the next government,” Ben Gvir said in a special statement to the media in Jerusalem.

“A clear message was conveyed to those countries, whether to their foreign ministers or to officials at an even higher level, that the prime minister does not intend to include me in the next government,” he said. “I say the following with deep sorrow, after hearing such reports for a long time, but praying that they were not true.”

Ben Gvir did not name the countries or officials allegedly involved, and he presented no evidence for the claim, which has not been independently confirmed.

Ben Gvir tied his accusation to recent Likud talk of a broad coalition with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, and to Netanyahu’s statement Thursday that the Defense Ministry and National Security Ministry would remain under Likud control if he wins reelection. He accused Likud of trying to shrink his party at the ballot box.

“Unfortunately, what Likud is trying to do now is reduce Otzma Yehudit to five seats, and this, unfortunately, directly endangers right-wing rule,” Ben Gvir said, warning that harming his party could keep right-wing voters home. “Bibi needs a strong Ben Gvir, not a strong Eisenkot.”

Still, Ben Gvir stressed he continues to back Netanyahu for prime minister. “Every vote for Otzma Yehudit is automatically a vote for Benjamin Netanyahu as prime minister,” he said.

Likud flatly rejected the accusation. “Ben Gvir continues with false political spin and friendly fire. The opposite is true,” the party said in a statement. “The prime minister has made clear that any government will include the base of partners from the current coalition, and every Zionist party will be invited to join based on our platform and the current composition.”

Likud urged right-wing voters to vote for it to prevent a left-wing government led by Eisenkot with the Arab parties, Yair Golan, Avigdor Liberman and Naftali Bennett.

Asked hours earlier during a meeting with journalists whether the broad government he hopes to form would include Ben Gvir’s party, Netanyahu replied, “Absolutely.”

The public clash between the coalition partners comes with recent polls projecting Otzma Yehudit at roughly eight seats, and with both parties vying for right-wing voters ahead of the October 27 vote.