Party president Neil Pankhurst said Mr McCurdy would be the Nationals candidate for the November 24 election despite being forced back to court for a two-day committal hearing on October 3 and 4 in his fight against fraud charges dating back to 2009 before he entered parliament.

“Tim is the endorsed candidate for Ovens Valley,” Mr Pankhurst said.

He added the court case, which forced Mr McCurdy to resign from a front bench spot in March following the laying of multiple charges, was “politically motivated”, but wouldn’t elaborate on the claim.

It was a case of business as usual for Mr McCurdy following the court case in Shepparton on Tuesday.

He returned to Wangaratta to attend a forum for the recently announced drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre to be built at the former Ovens College site in Greta Road.

Likely Ovens Valley rival Tammy Atkins was also in attendance.

In the unlikely event Mr McCurdy stepped aside or the party dumped him as the Ovens Valley candidate, a pre-selection would need to be called at short notice and Coalition partner, the Liberals, could also field a candidate.

Four years ago following the retirement of Bill Sykes in the former Benalla electorate the Nationals’ Steph Ryan and Liberal Tony Schneider went head-to-head, but Ms Ryan made the most of a massive head start on her Coalition rival and easily won the new seat of Euroa.

The Nationals have a more pressing pre-selection drama with an extraordinary state council meeting on Saturday to deal with the Western Victoria upper house ticket.