Lindsay Cutler, an executive member of the Nationals central council, welcomed the step which comes after his party was stopped by the Liberals from contesting last month’s Wagga by-election which was won by independent Joe McGirr.

The action means the state Coalition will solely be represented by the Nationals at the next Wagga election, despite the Liberals holding it from 1957 to 2018.

The Nationals forerunner, the Country Party, held the seat from 1925 to 1941.

Mr Cutler said the Liberals’ decision showed it was wrong to ban the Nationals from running at the by-election caused by their member Daryl McGuire resigning over a corruption probe.

“It’s recognition of that and it’s recognition of the result of the by-election and that they’re not the flavour of the month in Wagga,” he said.

“It’s good news from our perspective.”

However, Mr Cutler does not believe it will mean the Nationals stand in the seat of Albury which will be vacant at the March poll with the retirement of Liberal Greg Aplin.

“I would very much like to (run a Nationals candidate), but the state agreement between the Nationals and the Liberals is still current so we can’t,” Mr Cutler said.

That deal involves Nationals refraining from standing in seats with retiring Liberal MPs and vice versa.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported the NSW Liberal executive was to vote on a ballot on Thursday afternoon to not stand in Wagga.

“Given the result, the Premier is recommending that the party not contest the electoral district of Wagga Wagga at the 2019 state election, to enable the National Party to run a candidate,” it read.

Before the by-election, Nationals leader John Barilaro said if voters “dismiss a Liberal candidate” it would give him the right to negotiate to allow the Nationals to contest the seat in March.

The Liberals had a negative swing of near 30 per cent.