The Maori Party dismissed Labour's comments on post election deals as panic politics.
Maori Party co-leader Te Ururoa Flavell said Labour was clearly feeling desperate after leader David Cunliffe confirmed his party would only do ministerial deals with two other parties - the Greens and New Zealand First.
Mr Cunliffe said there would be no ministers from either the Maori Party or Internet Mana in a Labour-led government.
Mr Ururoa Flavell said Labour was clearly being pushed into a corner by other potential political partners.
The Maori Party still had its open door to work with either Labour or National, he said.