The Nationals leader on Thursday insisted he had the "absolute support" of MPs and denied any had personally told him they were unhappy. "The National Party is right behind me," the Mr McCormack told Sky News, adding he would not stand aside for Mr Joyce and urging colleagues to stop focusing on themselves. "No National Party MP has come to me and said, 'I'm dissatisfied with the job that you're doing.' They have come to me and offered me solid support." In a significant development on Wednesday night, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud – who is widely viewed inside the government as a future Nationals leader – ruled himself out of running in any spill. Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack at Parliament House on Thursday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"There is no chance of a leadership challenge and even if there was I would not be interested in any positions," Mr Littleproud said. Mr Joyce's backers claim Mr McCormack has failed to cut through with regional communities and fear a wipeout in Queensland at next year's federal election. A leadership challenge this week is unlikely. But in a tactic similar to the one used by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in his botched attempt to replace Malcolm Turnbull, a substantial bloc of aggrieved Nationals MPs are attempting to create a crisis around Mr McCormack's leadership. Most MPs, including some of Mr McCormack's backers, believe a showdown is almost certain next week but warned events were moving quickly and could not dismiss a move on Thursday before Parliament rises for the week. "They have lost their minds," one Liberal minister said of Nationals MPs who are discussing a leadership switch so close to the Wentworth byelection.

Mr Joyce on Wednesday acknowledged he wanted the Nationals leadership but only on the condition he was drafted. "It is faux modesty to say if you're offered a job, you'd turn it down. That is garbage," Mr Joyce said. "If it was offered to me I'd take it, but I'm not touting for it, I'm not collecting the numbers." Barnaby Joyce with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Mr Joyce said he had "not made one call to one colleague" canvassing votes.

"There's been no secret meetings in my room, there's no WhatsApp group, there's no dinner conversations going away to a restaurant," he said. Loading MPs rallying around Mr McCormack include Mr Littleproud, Veterans' Affairs Minister Darren Chester, and Victorian MPs Andrew Broad and Damian Drum. Some Nationals figures privately fear a switch back to Mr Joyce would destroy the party's female vote given his recent personal history. They also believe Mr McCormack has not been given enough time to prove his credentials with the community. Prime Minister Scott Morrison this week said Wentworth voters should back Liberal Party candidate Dave Sharma on Saturday if they valued stability inside the Parliament, an argument party figures now believe has been damaged by the behaviour of Mr Joyce and his supporters.

Mr Morrison has little ability to intervene in the Nationals turmoil, in the same way the Nationals were unable to have any say in the Liberal Party leadership implosion in August. A leadership change back to Mr Joyce would guarantee his return to cabinet and trigger a wider frontbench reshuffle just two months after Mr Morrison's new-look ministry was sworn in at Government House in Canberra. Asked whether he was frustrated by the unrest, Mr Morrison on Thursday said: "The Canberra bubble is always the Canberra bubble and I'm not distracted by that." In a statement, Mr McCormack said regional Australians wanted "secure and stable leadership" that understands their concerns and delivered for them. "That's what the Nationals stand for and that's why my leadership is providing," he said.