Dave Sharma backed by John Howard, Malcolm Turnbull as Liberal candidate for Wentworth

John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull have defied Scott Morrison’s edict to select a female candidate for Wentworth.

Former Australian Ambassador Dave Sharma pictured with Lucy Turnbull.

John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull have defied Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s edict to select a female candidate for Wentworth, throwing their support behind former diplomat David Sharma for the blue-ribbon seat ahead of a preselection vote last night.

As concerns grew in Liberal ranks that the party could lose the by-election — and the Coalition’s one-seat majority in parliament — former prime ministers Mr Turnbull and Mr Howard urged Mr Sharma to stay in the race despite him being pressured to make way for a female candidate ahead of an expected marathon ballot of 200 Liberals at Easts Rugby Club in Rose Bay.

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Party organisers used secret-ballot voting last night for the first time because of concerns there had been such intense lobbying of preselectors “people could be heavied”.

Recent polling has shown support for the party in Wentworth has plummeted to an unprecedented 39 per cent. A woman candidate is seen as critical in clawing back 3 to 4 per cent of the vote, dramatically lifting the party’s odds of holding the seat.

Andrew Bragg, a rising star in the party, had been the preferred candidate, quitting his senior post at the Business Council of Australia only a fortnight ago to join the preselection scramble. But after the polling results, he suddenly withdrew from the race on Tuesday saying a female candidate better matched the “mood” of the electorate.

Katherine O’Regan, a former deputy mayor of Woollahra Council, was promptly anointed the new party favourite with Mr Morrison’s backing. Party heavyweights then began to pressure Mr Sharma to stand aside.

Mr Sharma was said to be agonising over his decision, unnerved by the pressure from factional leaders, who feared that his gender, and the fact that he lived on the lower north shore, would be a major turn-off for eastern suburbs voters.

However, Mr Turnbull called Mr Sharma, with his wife Lucy on speakerphone, saying that he had to run and the party should not endorse Ms O’Regan as she was a “dud”, Liberal sources have told The Australian.

The pair are understood to have told Mr Sharma not to bow to pressure to step aside and that Ms O’Regan was a “shocking candidate. She can’t win.”

Mr Sharma’s refusal to withdraw from the preselection ballot was already causing rising panic among Liberal Party powerbrokers, who feared the eight contenders for the preselection ballot made the outcome unpredictable and could spell disaster at the polls if the wrong candidate got up.

Mr Howard also encouraged Mr Sharma to stay in the race yesterday in an early-morning phone call.

The 11th-hour intervention by Mr Turnbull and Mr Howard triggered fury among Liberal Party powerbrokers.

One senior party source told The Australian he believed Mr Howard’s motives for supporting Mr Sharma were honourable, but Mr Turnbull just “wants to torch the place”.

Powerbrokers are concerned a battle between Mr Sharma and Ms O’Regan could split the 60 per cent moderate vote, paving the way for another outside contender, Mary-Lou Jarvis.

A Woollahra councillor and former media officer for Mr Turnbull, Ms Jarvis is unaligned but has strong community support and the personal backing of Mr Turnbull.