Fine Gael activists are expressing strong objections to the decision by their TDs and Senators to hold an early leadership contest which excludes them from having any say and favours the party's "old guard".
Party headquarters and individual deputies have received a significant number of complaints in the past two days from party members criticising the haste with which the parliamentary party intends to proceed after its disastrous election performance.
The plan to elect a new leader next Wednesday goes against much rank-and-file opinion, since the ardfheis voted earlier this year to give constituency organisations 30 per cent of the vote in future leadership contests. A postal ballot to approve details of this proposal will not be carried out until next week's contest is over.
Most party sources contacted yesterday said they believed Mr Enda Kenny was the favourite among the four current contenders.
However, both Mr Phil Hogan and Mr Richard Bruton are also not being ruled out at this stage. Mr Simon Coveney (29) is also under pressure from some party activists to run. A number of existing parliamentary party members who are keen to seek a generational change also want him to make a challenge.
"The choice is between the remnants of the FitzGerald generation and new blood," said one party source yesterday.
Mr Coveney said yesterday that he was unlikely to run, but did not completely rule it out. "I intend playing a prominent role, but probably not as party leader," he said. However, he will face further pressure over the weekend to reconsider, both from a small number of deputies and senators and from party members.
One party figure, reflecting the annoyance at ground level over their exclusion from the decision, said in reference to the parliamentary party: "We haven't been exactly brilliant at electing leaders."
Mr Gay Mitchell was the latest candidate to declare yesterday, saying that he wanted to bring Fine Gael back to the values of Christian Democracy, offering equality of opportunity, protecting the vulnerable in society and being tough on crime.
However, Mr Mitchell is seen as being behind the other three declared candidates - Mr Enda Kenny, Mr Phil Hogan and Mr Richard Bruton.
Mr Kenny enters the weekend with a perceived marginal advantage, but all four candidates will canvass intensively over the next few days.
Nominations close on Tuesday in advance of Wednesday's parliamentary party vote.