MONTREAL - The media has been feeding Pauline Marois' leadership crisis, according to MNA Yves-Francois Blanchet, who spoke at at the Parti Quebecois conference Saturday in Drummondville.

Blanchet blames the media for exaggerating the importance of recent party defections.

He was referring to yet-another high-ranking PQ defection. Philippe Leclerc, president of the party's Mercier association, has opted to join Option Nationale, a new party formed by fellow defector, Nicolet-Yamaska MNA Jean-Martin Aussant.

Five MNAs have quit the party as have five riding presidents.

Leclerc had supported Pauline Marois in 2007 but said that his resignation Saturday was inevitable due to an "accumulation of disappointments."

Leclerc complained that the work of PQ party volunteers gets ignored and that the party does too little to woo. He also said the party has shown little interest in democratic reform

Blanchet, in his speech at the PQ conference Saturday, accused defectors such as Leclerc of gratuitously seeking media attention.

Blanchet's sentiments were seconded by Roberval MNA Denis Trottier who expressed the view that media has been trying to cash in on higher ratings and sales by over-hyping the PQ's struggles.

Trottier said the media have to "assume part of the blame," for the problems being faced by the PQ.

Marois, in her speech, took aim at former PQ MNA Francois Legault, who has vowed to start a rival party.

"I took all of the criticisms, the attacks, the caricatures. I defended all of you party members and party activists, hour after hour, day after day. I never gave up, I never gave up on you," Marois said to thunderous applause from the PQ faithful Saturday.

Her proposed platform was voted in unanimously Saturday, considered a rarity for the party.

A recent CROP poll reports that Francois Legault's Coalition pour l'avenir du Québec has the support of 33 percent of voters, while the Charest Liberals holds 24 percent. The Parti Quebecois trails at 18 percent.

The Charest Liberal have won the last three provincial elections, the most recent having taken place on December 8, 2008.

With files from The Canadian Press