NICOLA Sturgeon has urged Scots to "come together" to elect the SNP for an unprecedented third term in power at Holyrood.

At an eve-of-poll rally in Glasgow city centre, the Nationalists' leader made an emotional and patriotic final pitch for votes, telling supporters her party would always put Scotland's interests first.

Introducing her to a crowd of about 200 people, external affairs minister Humza Yousaf said she was the best candidate to be first minister "because there is no-one in this country that cares more about Scotland".

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In her final campaign speech before voters go to the polls, Ms Sturgeon made no mention of independence and spoke only in general terms about manifesto pledges for the next five years.

Instead, she stressed her determination to "stand up for Scotland" and her desire for a personal mandate as first minister, having taken the top job following Alex Salmond's resignation in 2014.

The Herald:

Addressing the crowd in the shadow of Donald Dewar's stature on the Buchanan Street steps, she said: "Tomorrow, I'm asking people across this country of ours to elect the SNP for a historic third term in government.

"And with great humility, I'm asking people across this country to elect me to be first minister to lead our country into the next decade.

"I'm asking for a mandate to make this great country of ours even better."

She added: "I know there will be people in every part of Scotland, even those who vote SNP, who do not agree with every thing I say or do, or who do not agree with everything the SNP says or does.

"But tomorrow I hope to encourage this country to come together to elect a government that has Scotland's interests at heart at all times, a government that will put the interests of this country first, last and always."

She also urged people to give both their votes to the SNP, amid fears within the party it is losing support to the Greens and other smaller independence-supporting parties in the regional ballot.

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"If you want to see an SNP government re-elected with me as first minister, then do not assume somebody else will go out and deliver that for you, do not think you can take a chance with one of your votes," she said.

"If you want to see the SNP elected there is only one way to ensure, to guarantee, that that happens tomorrow, and that is to go to your local polling station and vote SNP with both of your votes."

Earlier, introducing Ms Sturgeon, Mr Yousaf said: "We are here because we want to give both votes to the SNP.

"We want a majority government.

"We are doing it not for the SNP, not even for Nicola Sturgeon but we are doing it for Scotland."

The rally was briefly interrupted by a protestor who paraded in front of Ms Sturgeon waving a Union flag.

He was booed by the crowd before being led away by two police officers.

Unfazed, Ms Sturgeon thanked him for "showing what a vibrant and democratic country this is".

The protestor was later identified as Alistair McConnachie, a blogger who was thrown out of Ukip for questioning the Holocaust.

After Ms Sturgeon left the stage, a group of Celtic supporters unfurled a banner protesting at the Scottish Government's controversial anti-sectarian football legislation.

According to the polls, the SNP is on course to take almost all Holyrood's 73 constituency seats and return to power for a third term with an overall majority.

SNP insiders have voiced fears they may fall short of a majority, despite consistent polling putting support for the party around 50 per cent, a bigger share than it captured in 2011.

For the Nationalists to miss out on a majority, they would have to fail in nine constituencies, a scenario most observers have discounted.

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Even in the handful of constituencies they believe are "in play" Labour and Conservatives strategists say the SNP remain clear favourites.

The Tories are confident of retaining Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire in the Borders. The party also has an outside a chance in other targets, including Dumfriesshire, Ayr and Eastwood, according to one source.

Labour believes it is "competitive" in four seats, but the SNP is confident of holding off Kezia Dugdale's party in what is widely seen as its best hope, Edinburgh South.

The Liberal Democrats are confident of holding on to their Orkney and Shetland strongholds but admit they would need to spring a surprise to beat the SNP in their target seats of North East Fife, where leader Willie Rennie is standing, Edinburgh West and Aberdeenshire East.