Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto has fired a message to rebel MPs within his ranks, conceding they are free to mount a challenge for his job.

Pesutto responded to reports that his leadership was on the line, with whispers growing a group of Liberal MPs is actively pushing to spill the current leadership team.

“We’ll see. If someone wants to do that, there are rights under the party’s constitution to do it,” he said on Monday.

“But nobody’s told me they’re doing that.

“I understand that there are some reports about it, but nobody’s raised that with me.”

Pesutto went on to welcome any challengers for the top job, which he’s held since after the November 2022 state election.

“If someone wants to bring a motion at any point, whether it’s next Tuesday or whenever, let them bring it,” he said.

Instead he noted plans to discuss any issues with colleagues at a party room meeting next Tuesday, ahead of the Victorian parliament resuming.

“I’ll be having chats with colleagues even up to that point, but certainly beyond, about how we continue to build on the work we’ve been able to undertake over the last 18 months,” he said.

A fresh leadership challenge would be the party’s fourth in Victoria since March 2021.

These, and an election that resulted in just 28 lower house seats, have brought three leaders, with Michael O’Brien and Matthew Guy preceding Pesutto.

Much of Pesutto’s time in power has been marred by a defamation battle with former Liberal MP Moira Deeming, which has played out in the Federal Court for the past month.

This was triggered by comments he made after she attended a transgender-critical Let Women Speak rally in March 2023 that was gatecrashed by men in black who performed the Nazi salute.

Pesutto has denied any wrongdoing against Deeming, who first received a nine-month suspension from the Liberals before being expelled two months later.

-AAP