NICK Clegg has said he finds it "difficult" to envisage entering a coalition with the SNP.
The Liberal Democrat leader declared that he would not sit around a Cabinet table with Nigel Farage's Ukip.
But he was more coy when it came to the SNP.
Asked about possible coalitions on the BBC's Andrew Marr show, Mr Clegg said: "No [I would not sit in a Cabinet with Nigel Farage]."
Asked whether he would enter government with the SNP, he said: "I find it very difficult to imagine the circumstances in which I would ever do that."
Pollsters have predicted that, depending on the outcome of May's general election, three parties could be needed to form a government.
The SNP have ruled out propping up a minority Conservative government, but have said they could do a deal with Labour if their conditions were met.
As the election race heats up, David Cameron will today controversially pledge he will deliver 'full employment' in part through a crackdown on benefits payments to immigrants.
Meanwhile, Ed Miliband will call for radical improvements in mental health care with more emphasis on prevention, early intervention and better support.
Yesterday Former Lib Dem leader Paddy Ashdown urged his party to sue to secure a place in the TV leader's debates, a possibility also understood to be under consideration by the SNP.
In his interview, Mr Clegg also described as "silly" a projection his party will lose half its seats in the election.
An SNP spokesman said: ''With current polls showing the Lib Dems only salvaging a few seats here and there in May, Nick Clegg would be better concentrating on that."
Mr Clegg also said that he wanted to scrap the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session in the Commons.
The Lib Dem leader admitted that he found sitting alongside David Cameron during the Commons clashes "awkward", adding: "The whole thing is ridiculous, the whole thing should be scrapped.
"It's an absolute farce."
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