PD junior minister Tom Parlon says that his supporters want him to stand for the leadership, but he has yet to make up his mind.
Mr Parlon told The Irish Times yesterday that while it was important to avoid rancour in the party, he did not see anything wrong with "a good, clean contest".
Asked about a number of colleagues who declared for Mr Michael McDowell yesterday, he said this had come from expected quarters. He planned to talk to another potential candidate, Liz O'Donnell, and to other colleagues over the weekend.
Mr Parlon, who was visiting the Glenisk organic yoghurt factory in his constituency, said that he did not feel under any pressure to say anything about his intentions or to make up his mind at this stage. "It's a long time until Monday. After all, this time yesterday I had no inkling [of Ms Harney's resignation]."
The former farmers' leader said he believed that he had the leadership qualities needed for the job. "The messages I'm getting from my people, and from my constituency in particular, are saying they would be urging me very strongly to consider going for the position. But I'm sure any constituency would support their candidate strongly."
He said he would discuss the issue further with PD supporters in the midlands who were due to attend a fund-raising event in Birr, Co Offaly, last night.
Mr Parlon said that supporters from outside his constituency had also been contacting him.
"A lot of people came on to me and said: 'what's the big deal about an election?' for transparency, for going forward, maybe it would be better to have a contest.
"We shouldn't be shy about having a contest just for the sake of not having one."
An electoral contest did not have to be damaging. "It could be a good, clean contest. Whoever wins would have a mandate and could say: 'I've gone before the people'."