Mirabella under pressure in Indi

Sophie Mirabella is being challenged by a local independent in the Victorian electorate of Indi. Source: AAP

THE Victorian electorate of Indi is far from marginal.

But its sitting member is in serious danger of becoming one of this federal election's rarest of candidates - a coalition casualty.

Indi is represented by high-profile coalition shadow minister Sophie Mirabella who holds a nine per cent advantage after securing 52 per cent of the primary vote in the 2010 poll and who would normally benefit from the national tide of support for her party.

But thanks to a campaign based on simplicity and community values, Mrs Mirabella is under pressure from Cathy McGowan, a disaffected former Liberal and lifelong resident of the rural seat in the state's northeast.

Ms McGowan is somewhat hamstrung by her status as an independent, a group tainted in this election by the roles played in the Gillard and Rudd governments of independent MPs.

And she is confronted by opinion polls that place the Mirabella Liberal primary vote at 43 per cent to her 23 per cent.

In the face of all that, Ms McGowan is still in with a big chance of pulling off a major upset thanks to a campaign based on community involvement and well-managed preferences.

"The campaign's taken off like wildfire," Ms McGowan said.

"People have really grabbed hold of the idea of having a vision for their community."

Ms McGowan is set to receive preferential support from the Nationals candidate in what is seen as a backlash against the Liberal decision to run a candidate against high-profile National Andrew Broad in the Victorian seat of Mallee.

She will also benefit from Labor preferences.

Ms McGowan isn't joining the hopeful chorus of her supporters just yet, but she suspects the result probably won't be known on Saturday night.

"It's going to be very, very close," she said.

Indi covers the major centres south of the Murray of Wodonga, Benalla and Wangaratta, also taking in Victoria's Alpine region.

The area is also represented in state parliament by two Nationals MPs who have supported Ms McGowan.

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