Polish conservatives grab lead as snap polls loom

WARSAW, Sept 4 (Reuters) Poland's ruling conservatives surged back ahead of the opposition according to a poll released today, increasing the chance of a deadlocked parliament after a snap election expected in October.

The ex-communist state's parliament is due to vote later this week to end its term two years early following the acrimonious collapse of Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski's coalition with two fringe groups.

A poll published in the Gazeta Wyborcza daily showed the Law and Justice party of Kaczynski and his brother Lech, the president, pulling ahead of the largest opposition party for the first time since January with 30-per cent support.

''I am happy,'' Prime Minister Kaczynski told a news conference, when asked about the survey. ''We also have our own surveys (showing) we have all the chances to win the elections.'' The pro-business Civic Platform lost a 9-point lead from the previous survey, falling to 26 per cent and casting doubt on the hopes of some investors it might form a more market-friendly government for central Europe's biggest economy.

But the showing by Law and Justice was still far short of suggesting it would be able to head a new government in the EU member of 38 million, whose economy has thrived despite years of political uncertainty and shaky governing coalitions.

''Law and Justice would have a much more difficult time creating a coalition than the Platform would,'' said Marek Migalski from Silesia University in Katowice.

''Even if Law and Justice does win, the Platform may still end up being the party at the core of a new government and it could take some time to get there.'' ALIENATED The tough rhetoric of the Kaczynski twins has alienated most of the opposition as well as former coalition partners.

The disputes have grown increasingly bitter after accusations from a former interior minister, who was fired last month, that the government abused secret services to spy on politicians and journalists.

Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk has said he would not create a coalition with Law and Justice, while the conservative Kaczynskis would not team up with the leftists, rooted in communist times, the third-largest party.

That would leave a handful of fringe parties as the only possible partners for Law and Justice and they might not even get enough votes to enter parliament. The prime minister also kicked out two of the small parties from his government in July, turning their leaders into some of his loudest critics.

Support for Law and Justice jumped in the polls after it went on a counter-offensive in recent days, seeking to discredit former interior minister Janusz Kaczmarek who accuses the government of misusing the special services.

Prosecutors have charged Kaczmarek and his former police chief with obstructing an investigation into a leak of an corruption investigation involving a former deputy prime minister.

Evidence revealed by the prosecutors has hurt the credibility of Kaczmarek and supported Kaczynski's message that he is not afraid to weed out corruption even within his own government.

REUTERS PD KN2004