Nationals Senator Matt Canavan has backed party leader David Littleproud today amid claims he misled MPs during the split with the Liberal Party.

Littleproud is facing a backlash on two fronts after the Nationals quit the federal Coalition last week.

Canavan, who challenged him for the leader’s job earlier this month, told Today this morning Littleproud was “doing a great job”, but the state of the party was ” a little bit messy”.

Some senior Liberal MPs believe the two parties can only be reunited if Littleproud steps down, while one National MP has fired a verbal broadside against his party leader.

“How David Littleproud’s leadership pans out in the long term is unknown. I can’t support a man who misleads the party room,” Boyce said.

Canavan was pressed by Today host Karl Stefanovic about a future leadership challenge, and said he was happy with Littleproud’s performance.

“I can’t give guarantees what other people do. I’m happy with the leadership, that’s what I can say.

“And I think David’s done a good job. Obviously, it’s a little bit messy at the moment, but we’ve got to work these things out now, not in three years’ time.”

The Nationals’ decision to leave the Coalition – the first split in 38 years – was prompted by disagreement over four key policy areas: nuclear energy, a multibillion-dollar regional investment, regional phone coverage, and supermarket divestiture powers.

But Littlerproud and Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley returned to the negotiating table last week following an outcry from party elder statesmen, such as former prime ministers John Howard and Tony Abbott.