A first term member of Orange City Council will challenge a former cabinet minister to be pre-selected as The Nationals candidate for the seat of Calare at the next federal election.

Lithgow is to be returned to Calare from Macquarie at the election following a boundary reshuffle.

In a surprise announcement , Orange Councillor Sam Romano has confirmed plans to topple incumbent Member for Calare John Cobb in a coming pre-selection process.

Mr Cobb, a former Howard Government Minister and past president of the NSW Farmers’ Association, also confirmed he’ll seek the backing of the party’s 700 or so local members, setting the scene for a pre-selection battle.

Calare Electorate Council chairman Ron Penny said it was rare for The Nationals to dump a sitting MP at pre-selection.

“It’s extremely unlikely but always possible,” Mr Penny said.

Nominations opened on February 1 and will close on February 28.

Coalition figures in Calare had earlier expressed the expectation that Mr Cobb would not be challenged for preselection and the latest development has come as a total surprise.

Calare takes in the major regional centres of Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow, Oberon, Parkes and Forbes.

The Nationals hold the seat with a 3.5 per cent margin.

Mr Romano said he would contest the nomination after being approached by branch members who believe the party needed a new candidate.

“I do concede it will be difficult, but at the end of the day this is happening because many many members asked me to do it because they feel it’s time for renewal,” he said.

Mr Cobb is visiting the United States, however a statement issued by his office said Mr Cobb was focused on the job at hand.

There is still no word on challengers from either the ALP or Coalition parties for the seat of Macquarie which will become vacant when the Sitting Member Bob Debus retires at the next election.

Mr Debus has proved to be a popular and effective advocate for the Lithgow area during his term in Macquarie.