Fury at backroom deal to usher former Young Liberal into federal seat of Hughes

But as the federal election looms, preselections have been delayed by factional manoeuvring and the failure of the committee that vets potential candidates to meet, even though nominations closed last May.

There is now white-hot anger among some Liberal members about the manoeuvring and the attempts to sidestep the Warringah rules.

The deal, hammered out by factional negotiators on Saturday, involves avoiding rank and file votes in all seats held by federal MPs who were facing challenges. It also springboards candidates into several winnable seats, including Dobell and Hughes.

But the deal still has to be put to state executive council on Friday and requires 90% support by the 27-strong state executive to pass.

Among the right faction, there is particular anger at the negotiations, which included Charles Perrottet, the brother of the NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, and Dallas McInerney, the chief executive of Catholic Schools.

Some said the deal had no chance of passing at state executive council this Friday and was instead a further ploy by factional leaders to engineer a crisis within the NSW Liberal party that would prompt federal intervention on the grounds of urgency.

The federal election must be held by May and NSW Liberals are still to choose candidates in several key seats.