Hostilities within the Victorian Liberal Party erupted over preselection for Kew, with one of the government's top ministers facing a showdown that could leave her without a seat at this year's state election.

Weeks after announcing she would seek to run in Kew after her Doncaster electorate was abolished in a boundary shake-up, Community Services Minister Mary Wooldridge will be challenged by a former Stonnington mayor, Tim Smith, who is also nominating for preselection.

Mary Wooldridge

Senior Liberal insiders have described the situation as ''a mess'' that will either put one of cabinet's most senior MPs at risk - causing an election-year crisis for Premier Denis Napthine - or hinder one of the party's young rising stars.

''It's going to be line-ball,'' said one well-placed source. ''It's certainly not a foregone conclusion.''