Clive Palmer has failed in a bid to woo two Senate crossbenchers to join forces with his party at the next election, under the banner of the United Australia Party.
Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and Family First senator Bob Day met Mr Palmer and his remaining Palmer United Party senator Dio Wang in a secret meeting last Thursday.
Senator Leyonhjelm said the meeting in Mr Palmer's office was at the mining magnate's instigation after half a dozen phone requests.
He said both him and Senator Day were not keen on Mr Palmer's United Australia Party proposal.
"I was highly reluctant to do anything with Clive," Senator Leyonhjelm told AAP.
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"I left the door open but I certainly wasn't walking through it."
The idea of forming a coalition to be on the same Senate ticket was also discussed at the meeting.
Mr Palmer issued a press statement on Sunday claiming he had "rejected approaches" made by the two senators.
"Both the Liberal Democratic Party and Family First supported Tony Abbott's 2014 budget and now they are crying because the Liberals have turned on them," Mr Palmer said.
Senator Leyonhjelm described Mr Palmer's statement as "Clive having a brain fart".
"This is the exact opposite of what has happened," he said.
Legislation to reduce the likelihood of micro-parties getting elected through preference deals passed the House of Representatives on Wednesday and will go to the upper house this week.
