CAIRO — Confusion and disarray pervaded the ranks of Egypt’s opposition on Sunday night, a day after President Mohammed Morsi made a gesture toward compromise by rescinding the controversial decree that had granted him near-absolute power and plunged the country into political crisis.

Opposition leaders called for more protests after Morsi refused to cancel a referendum, scheduled for Saturday, on a contentious draft constitution that critics have deemed illegitimate.

The National Salvation Front, an alliance of prominent opposition figures, warned that a referendum held amid the political crisis, which is in its third week, could plunge the country into further chaos.

The timing of the alliance’s response, which came more than 20 hours after Morsi replaced his decree with a modified version, underscored the challenges facing Egypt’s broad but divided opposition movement.

The opposition has brought together liberals, secularists, human rights activists and old-regime loyalists, but it has yet to reach a consensus on whether to vote against the draft charter or boycott the referendum. The indecision could undermine the ability of anti-Morsi groups to influence the vote.

It is also unclear to many whether the critical element of Morsi’s Nov. 22 decree, which gave him the power to legislate without judicial oversight, has been substantially altered.