Elin Jones claims Llais y Cardi's move is a 'single issue hijack'

Plaid Cymru is incensed that protest group Llais y Cardi - whose petition triggered a referendum for a directly-elected mayor for the county - intends to register itself as a political party to fight next year's council elections on 10 June.

Although Llais y Cardi says it does not intend to compete in wards where Plaid Cymru candidates are standing in next summer's elections, the move has angered Ceredigion Assembly Member Elin Jones.

"There is a danger that individuals got completely carried away with the obvious success of the petition and possibly see themselves as potential mayoral candidates," said Ms Jones.

Llais y Cardi also intends to put forward a candidate to stand for the post of mayor in the county if a forthcoming referendum is successful.

Earlier this month Ceredigion Council confirmed that a petition handed in by the campaign group in had enough names on the electoral register to warrant a referendum on the issue.

the future of Ceredigion is too important for this kind of single-issue hijack Elin Jones, AM

Ceredigion's MP, Simon Thomas said: "I was never under any impression that Llais y Cardi intended to develop the referendum into setting up a political party.

"I feel that Llais y Cardi have misled the electorate in Ceredigion with this new development."

But Emyr Hywel of Llais y Cardi accused Plaid of being as 'under-handed' as Ceredigion's current ruling political group.

Emyr Hywel claims Plaid Cymru have acted in an underhand manner

"We are not a single issue group because we are fighting for the future of democracy in Ceredigion," he said.

"By calling us a single issue group, Plaid Cymru are acting as badly as Cabinet leader Dai Lloyd Evans, who also claims we are a single issue group."

Mr Hywel claims that more than 20 of Ceredigion's 40 wards would not be contested by Plaid Cymru candidates.

Both groups want to get rid of Cllr Evans as council leader

"We told Elin Jones we would not put up any candidates against Plaid Cymru but this means there are about 20 wards that could be contested by Llais y Cardi."

A five-month battle has started to win the hearts and minds of the Ceredigion electorate over the thorny question of whether they want a directly-elected mayor.

Llais y Cardi was formed in protest against plans for 6,500 new homes in the area and it is confident the people of Ceredigion will back its call for a directly-elected mayor.

In November it handed in a petition signed by 8,474 residents which triggered a referendum for what would be Wales first directly-elected mayor.

The vote is likely to take place on 22 April which means that a five-month-long fight between Llais y Cardi and opponents of a directly-elected mayor is on the cards.

If electors supported a move for a mayor, that election will probably take place in October 2004.