Rhodri Morgan has told his party's spring conference in Swansea only a vote for Labour will prevent the Tories gaining power at 2007's assembly poll. The first minister said that the party needs to raise its game for next year's assembly elections.
Mr Morgan also made poverty and education his priorities.
Despite Wales' unsuccessful season on the rugby pitch, his message was that Labour has delivered a triple crown of achievement for the nation.
Mr Morgan followed Welsh Secretary Peter Hain who on Friday also warned delegates that opposition parties could unite to put a Conservative into power in Cardiff Bay.
The first minister said: "A vote for Plaid Cymru or for the Lib Dems is a vote to let the Tories sneak back in charge of the health service in Wales, or in charge of dole queues in Wales, or in charge of schools in Wales."
He told delegates the only vote which "guaranteed" to keep the Tories out of power was a vote for the Labour Party.
Mr Morgan used his speech to highlight millions of pounds extra for Wales in the budget, the abolition of the various unelected public bodies and new powers for the assembly as key successes for the party.
The leader also indicated that a future Labour government in Cardiff will make reducing child and pensioner poverty a priority, as well as tackling underperformance in schools.
Enthusiastic welcome
In his address, he also poured scorn on his political opponents by accusing them of being an unprincipled "coalition of chaos".
On Friday Welsh Secretary Peter Hain told the spring conference there was a "very real danger" of a Tory first minister.
Ahead of the 2007 assembly election, Mr Hain claimed Plaid Cymru and Lib Democrats could join a Tory-led coalition.
But he also told the assembly government it must deliver better services when it gains new powers.
The conference opened by giving an enthusiastic welcome to Chancellor Gordon Brown, fresh from delivering his 10th Budget, who said the West should undertake a "moral crusade" to overcome world poverty - the "greatest evil of our time".
The chancellor said he wanted to do more than just offer money, saying it was "empowerment" which was the key.
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