As Mayor Michael Bloomberg ramps up his efforts to win a third term, there's word he may be close to an agreement to run once again on the controversial Independence Party line.

The City Council last year passed a measure changing the term limits law, enabling the mayor and several other city officials to run for third terms.

NY1 has learned two founding members of the party will back Bloomberg's bid to become the party's nominee for mayor and are encouraging the party to formally endorse him.

In exchange, Bloomberg agreed to reconsider the viability of nonpartisan elections. He also agreed to try to settle a dispute between the state and city factions of the party.

"We feel very positively about the fact that the mayor is an independent and we are the Independence Party," said Jackie Salt of the NYC Independence Party. "He's very concerned about issues of nonpartisan governance and nonpartisan politics, which is a set of issues that the Independence Party values above all else."

Bloomberg ran on the party line in 2001 and 2005, but just last month Independence leaders told NY1 that they did not think Bloomberg was a good independent.

When the mayor met with the Independents, he agreed to explore the viability of nonpartisan elections. His campaign also says it will work to repair a rift between state and city factions of the Independent Party.

The mayor's opponents suspect that money proved key to the deal.

"Clearly the mayor says one thing and does the complete opposite," said mayoral candidate and Queens Councilman Tony Avella. "I think the man is totally devoid of any ethics."

"I see it as Bloomberg's pay-to-play politics. They pay to get someone's support," said Eduardo Castell, the mayoral campaign manager for City Comptroller Bill Thompson.

Neither Salit nor the Bloomberg campaign would share details about any financial conversations. A spokesman for the campaign would only say, "The campaign discussed strategies and resources with the party to best achieve victory in November."

Over the years, party founder Fred Newman and his supporters have faced repeated accusations of anti-Semitism and cult-like behavior.

In a NY1 investigation in 2005, people involved with Newman's psychotherapy practice said they were brainwashed into joining a cult, allegations Newman has denied.

Meanwhile, the mayor will officially open campaign offices tomorrow in the Bronx and Queens.

On Sunday, he will open offices in Brooklyn, Manhattan and Staten Island.

His staff has been working at the Manhattan headquarters since January.