Labor is preparing for a series of potentially bruising preselection battles in coming months, with the contest for Tarneit, which will be vacated by former speaker Telmo Languiller, already turning ugly amid calls for controversial local councillor Intaj Khan to be ejected from the party.

Ms Richardson's seat of Northcote, in Melbourne's gentrified inner north, is held by Labor by a margin of 6 per cent, but the ALP faces tough competition from the Greens.

Darebin councillor Trent McCarthy achieved a 4 per cent swing for the Greens in Northcote at the 2014 election.

The Greens opened nominations for preselection on Friday and Cr McCarthy is a likely contender.

Ms Rizvi has worked in the media unit of former prime minister Kevin Rudd and as deputy chief of staff for Adelaide MP and former minister Kate Ellis.

She also created a wildly popular internet meme when she complained on social media about being served a "deconstructed coffee" in an Abbotsford cafe.

Last year she sparked an online petition calling for an apology from shock jock Steve Price after the pair argued on The Project.

Fiona Richardson's chief of staff, Tanya Kovac, has also emerged as a possible Labor candidate for the seat.

Meanwhile, in Melbourne's west, a call by a federal Labor MP to eject "king of bling" Intaj Khan from the party and terminate his run for the safe seat of Tarneit has been shot down in a vote by party members.

Joanne Ryan - who replaced former prime minister Julia Gillard as member for Lalor four years ago - sought to have Cr Khan suspended from the party on Thursday night, because he faces nine criminal charges.

The MP argued his behaviour is giving Labor a bad name. Her motion was defeated by 30 votes to three.

Cr Khan is in a three-way battle to replace Mr Languiller, who The Age revealed last weekend is due to retire at the next election, following a damaging expenses scandal.

Intaj Khan is eyeing off the safe Labor seat of Tarneit. Photo: Joe Armao.

Ms Ryan's intervention in the contest was soundly rebuffed by members at a routine administrative meeting on Thursday night.

Ms Ryan told the meeting she had "bitten my tongue for years about Cr Khan's behaviour, but enough is enough".

Cr Khan faces charges over an alleged failure to disclose vast property and commercial interests. He is believed to be Victoria's wealthiest councillor.

"In an area such as Wyndham, which is one of Australia's fastest growing municipalities with huge tranches of land being rezoned, the property disclosure of its elected councillors is of utmost importance," Ms Ryan said.

She added she had been asked by many in her seat why the party had not distanced itself from Cr Khan.

"As our Premier Daniel Andrews said previously in Parliament, the standard we walk past is the standard we accept, and this is not the standard we ought to accept," Ms Ryan said.

Cr Khan hit out at Ms Ryan, and Treasurer Tim Pallas, who is MP for neighbouring Werribee, this week, and implied internal opposition to his candidacy was racially motivated.

"I am still in the race despite my race," he posted on Facebook

"I warn all ALP members, specifically Joanne Ryan and Tim Pallas to trade [sic] carefully if they are considering supporting branch stackers."

Mr Pallas has endorsed Jasvinder Sidhu as candidate for the safe seat, despite alleged links to branch stacking. Mr Sidhu strongly denies the claims.

Jasvinder Sidhu with Premier Daniel Andrews. Photo: VISPENN Photography

A Tarneit resident, he has also set up a breakfast club charity in the western suburbs called Let's Feed.

A third candidate, Sarah Connolly, is being backed by sections of the Labor Right, led by upper house MP Adem Somyurek.