ALBANY — Seeking to lure Andrew M. Cuomo from the shadows, Gov. David A. Paterson on Monday accused his stealth political opponent of seeking cover in the “candidateprotection program.”

In his most pointed criticism to date of the Democratic attorney general, the Democratic governor said Cuomo needs to step up to the plate and let the public know today where he stands on the key issues confronting Albany — not weeks down the road when he might declare his candidacy against Paterson.

“I do think candidates running should be making their positions clear. I don’t think that anyone should be floating that they’re going to be a candidate and then go into the candidateprotection program where you can’t ask them any questions and find out even where they are for six weeks,” Paterson said.

The governor’s call comes after weeks of urging by Republican gubernatorial candidate Rick Lazio, who has accused Cuomo of ducking tough questions on the budget and other major issues at the Capitol. Cuomo allies have said the attorney general does not have to answer the questions or stake out his positions because he is not an announced candidate.

“I really don’t know what the attorney general is doing, and at this point I think it’s for him to clear the record,” Paterson said Monday in a session with reporters in Manhattan.

“Obviously, if you want to be in the leadership in this state and you do want to be a candidate, there’s no time like the present” for him to give his positions “because the public has a right to know your feelings about the budget deficit, how to bring the state back to recovery, what is the right course to take a this particular time, which is what I’m going to do,” he said.

Cuomo, who has resisted the political dares, had his office issue a brief response. “The attorney general remains dedicated to doing the work New Yorkers elected him to do, like rooting out government waste and abuse and fighting corporate fraud and greed. He will focus on politics at the appropriate time,” said John T. Milgrim, a Cuomo spokesman.