Jacinta Allan’s rival for the Labor leadership, Deputy Prime Minister Ben Carroll, is “reconsidering his position” after ruling himself out as a potential rival just six weeks ago.

Sources close to Carroll said on Monday morning that, following Sunday’s meeting of faction conveners which determined Allan no longer has the support of his group, government MPs urged him to take the top job.

“He is reconsidering his position,” the sources said.

Carroll is the right-wing faction’s preferred candidate and is seen by many party members (including some within the Labor Party’s dominant left faction) as the only viable alternative to Allan.

If Carroll decides to run, he will put leadership in charge and potentially force a change of premier, just four months before the Nov. 28 election.

For now, Allan refuses to budge and tells his colleagues he won’t resign. While she bears no ill will toward Carroll, she is furious at what she sees as a relentless campaign by factional actors inside and outside the caucus to undermine her leadership.

Her supporters insist she still has enough numbers in the caucus to prevail in any leadership race. Under party rules, this would involve a caucus vote and a vote by party members.

When speculation about the Labor leadership last reached a crescendo in mid-June, Carroll ruled himself out as a possible challenger and declared he would continue to support Allan.

“I can look you in the eye and I can say that,” he said directly to Allan, as the couple faced television cameras at a joint press conference.

“I have a young daughter at home and I couldn’t be prouder to ensure she grows up knowing that I supported Jacinta Allan to be a world-class prime minister and get re-elected in her own right.”

Carroll’s position has now changed. The deputy prime minister has joined a growing list of MPs who believe Allan’s leadership is no longer sustainable. MPs from all the divided factions are urging him to run.

This view was made clear at Sunday’s faction conveners’ meeting, which resolved to push for a change in leadership to improve the party’s chances of staying in government for an unprecedented fourth consecutive term.

It is unclear how the now likely leadership challenge will play out.

Those in favor of a change in leadership will today try to convince Allan that, for the good of the party, she must accept that her time as first minister is over. The prime minister is expected to reject these advances.

A spillover of all leadership positions could be called as early as Tuesday’s caucus meeting.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to chair a cabinet meeting at 11am and push forward her government’s legislative agenda, which includes the establishment of a new Organized Crime Agency within Victoria Police to respond to criminal infiltration of government buildings.

Carroll has told colleagues that if he became leader he would establish a royal commission into Big Build corruption.