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A VISIT to Wodonga by Liberal Party state president Michael Kroger in the days leading up to the highly anticipated Indi pre-selection convention has been called off.
The party powerbroker was booked in for a rare trip to the North East on Tuesday night for a pre-election training session for branch members.
His support for Wodonga-based pre-selection hopeful Kevin Ekendahl was revealed this week.
Mr Kroger’s presence at the training seminar was confirmed to branch members earlier this month, but in recent days it has been re-scheduled until after the pre-selection convention at Benalla next Sunday.
Former member Sophie Mirabella and Andrew Walpole are also in contention to become the party’s candidate in Indi at the next federal election due next year.
Mr Ekendahl’s partner Matthew Dale is the Wodonga branch secretary and documents relating to the training session obtained by The Border Mail show him to be one of the key organisers.
Wodonga branch president Craig Mundy confirmed the training session had been called off.
“Pre-selection is the priority,” he said.
He said he was unaware of any official support of Mr Ekendahl by the state president.
Meanwhile, pre-selection material distributed to party members by Mrs Mirabella carries support from high-ranking branch officials across Indi.
They include Mr Mundy, Yea president Michael Pointer, Alexandra president Mike Dalmau, Benalla vice-president Rowan McEwan, Ovens Valley president Michael Cole, Wangaratta president Stephen Hill, Marysville president Bruce Ackerman and Kiewa Valley president Peter Shannon. Benambra MP Bill Tilley is also backing Mrs Mirabella.