The Congress of the People has again downplayed running reports of a leadership struggle between its president Mosiuoa Lekota and his deputy Mbhazima Shilowa.

"No nominations have been made for any leadership positions in the party. So there is no disunity or any leadership battle," Cope head of communications Phillip Dexter said yesterday.

"Both the president and deputy president of the party have stated publicly that they will abide by the outcome of any leadership election if it were to take place," Dexter said.

He was responding to the findings of an Ipsos Markinor survey, released on Tuesday, a day before Cope celebrated its first anniversary at a rally in Kimberley.

The survey said Cope, which got more than seven percent of the votes in the April elections, would only get two now.

Dexter accused the pollsters of bad timing, saying their aim was to "downplay the important role that Cope continues to play in our country".

He said Cope was at present launching branches across the country in a bid to set up permanent structures.