Melbourne: Ben Carroll was sworn in as the 50th premier of the Australian state of Victoria on Tuesday, following the resignation of Jacinta Allan and a turbulent Labor Party caucus meeting that briefly threatened to trigger a contested leadership battle, ABC News reported.

According to Anadolu Agency, Carroll, who had served as deputy premier, will now lead the governing Victorian Labor Party into the state's November election after securing unanimous backing from party lawmakers. His appointment followed a dramatic 24-hour period in which Allan initially indicated she would contest a leadership ballot before announcing her resignation ahead of an expected challenge.

Transport Infrastructure Minister Gabrielle Williams was elected deputy premier. Speaking before stepping down, Allan said she believed she could have won a leadership ballot but chose to resign to avoid a divisive internal contest that would consume valuable time ahead of the election.

Allan became Victoria's premier in 2023 after succeeding Daniel Andrews. Her administration was overshadowed by controversies, including allegations of corruption linked to the state's major infrastructure program.