Angus North MSP Nigel Don has been dumped by his own party members ahead of next year’s Holyrood election.
The former Dundee councillor was prevented from standing for the constituency again, with Brechin councillor Mairi Evans winning 54% of local supporters’ votes at a meeting this week.
Despite deselecting sitting politicians being almost unheard of, Mr Don is the second MSP to be ditched by the SNP in the past few days after Edinburgh Western representative Colin Keir lost out to his former aide Toni Giugliano.
A senior SNP source said: “Both of those who have been eliminated, you can see the justification for it.”
With multiple polls pointing towards another Nationalist landslide next May, and a surge in new members joining the party after the referendum, fierce competition has sprung up for seats.
Key clashes have involved seasoned activists and recent sign ups.
Some SNP sources have suggested the internal elections will be more difficult to win than the battles against opponents from other parties.
Ructions were caused in Eastwood were West of Scotland MSP Stewart Maxwell was chosen to take on Labour’s leadership contender Ken Macintosh.
He was backed by 59 votes to 50 in his endorsement vote, despite being the only candidate, with local councillor Vincent Waters reported to be eyeing up the seat after playing a major role in defeating Jim Murphy in the general election.
Ms Evans, who is seen as a rising star of the party and has been a councillor for the area since 2007, has spent much of the past year being involved with political work in Brussels.
Mr Don was a surprise winner in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election where he ended up on the North East Scotland list. In 2011 he fought the Angus North and Mearns seat, buying a house in Brechin ahead of his victory in the SNP landslide.
An SNP spokesman said: “The SNP’s candidate selection is an open and democratic process where the decisions rest firmly with our membership.”
Meanwhile, North East Scotland MSP Alex Johnstone and local businessman Derek Wann have been selected for the Conservatives in Angus North and South respectively.