Senator McKenzie has refused to rule out a run for the seat, which a party insider this week labelled the Nationals’ “No. 1 target in Victoria”.

The Senator — who staked her local credentials by describing herself as “a graduate of Benalla East Primary” — is the Nationals’ only Victorian senator. She is up for re-election next year after a six-year term.

When asked three times this week whether she would seek Indi pre-selection, Ms McKenzie refused to answer directly, saying there would be “a strong field of contenders for the privilege of representing this community”.

Her office was the driving force in organising The Nationals’ party room meeting of the year in Wodonga on Thursday, with 20 of the party’s 21 federal MPs gathering at Huon Hill Hotel.

Rail, mobile phone and broadband coverage, health and education were high on the agenda — all issues independent Cathy McGowan campaigned heavily on to win Indi in 2013.

The meeting was followed by a community meet-and-greet and a $1100-a head dinner. Advertisements promoting Senator McKenzie and The Nationals have appeared in The Border Mail all week.

More than 100 attended the meet-and-greet, but Senator McKenzie said she did not know how many were attending the dinner, touted as a policy forum giving guests direct access to party leader and Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss.

Senator McKenzie insisted the functions were merely a chance for the party to re-connect with Indi, a seat last in The Nationals’ hands in the 1970s.

“It’s important for those communities that may not have been part of The Nationals family for some time to re-engage, and for us to spend time listening to those communities,” she said.

Indi pre-selection was not on the agenda but Senator McKenzie said it was a “hot topic”.

Selecting a candidate was a decision for the local branch, the party and community “as a whole”.

“I wouldn’t like to speculate on who the candidate will be,” she said.

“I am confident The Nationals will run a fabulous candidate, very connected to the community who will do Indi proud.”

The Indi contest will see the Coalition partners go head-to-head.

Mr Truss said some Liberals were encouraging a three-corner contest as a way of maximising the Coalition vote.

“We’ll work co-operatively because we have the common objective of making sure Indi’s represented in the next government,” he said.

Despite a tumultuous 18 months between the Coalition partners in Victoria — starting with several high-profile Nationals backing Ms McGowan and, more recently, the three-cornered contest in the state seat of Euroa — federal MPs said the relationship was strong.

“At the head office or leadership level, the Coalition agreement is very robust, but when you get down to the grassroots,” Gippsland MP Darren Chester said.

“You can’t control what individual members want to do.

“We’re a very diverse party and the grassroots members have strong opinions and they’re quite entitled to that.”

The member for Indi, Cathy McGowan, welcomed The Nationals’ bid for the seat.

“I am hoping the outcome will be an election fought on policy issues, that will bring long-term benefit to the people of Indi,” she said.