New Delhi, May 19 (TIWN): Anthony Albanese is making a concerted play for the Labor leadership, declaring the party’s policy direction needs to change but signalling he would promote progressive values, as the count continues after Saturday night’s election.

The high-profile New South Wales leftwinger began his public courtship of colleagues on Sunday, and has the backing of some players in the right faction.

But other players remain on the field, including fellow leftwinger and deputy leader, Tanya Plibersek, the rightwing shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, and Queensland rightwinger Jim Chalmers, in the event Bowen forms the view his candidacy isn’t viable. Victorian rightwinger Richard Marles is also being touted as a potential running mate for Plibersek.

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Bowen is canvassing colleagues but there is a view in some quarters that he is too tied to unpopular campaign tax measures to be viable as leader post-Bill Shorten, and Chalmers in combination with Albanese would be a hat tip to Queensland, where Labor performed poorly. In the Senate, the likely leadership ticket is Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally.