Unionist parties have rejected George Galloway’s call to give him a clear field against the SNP in Glasgow East.
Mr Galloway has urged Scotland’s non-SNP parties to support a single candidate - him.
Sources close to the former Respect Party leader confirmed that he has targeted the Glasgow seat.
There is currently no election in the offing.
But the Liberal Democrats said that the “only person who could possibly benefit from George Galloway standing... is George Galloway."
Labour also confirmed that it would not stand aside for Mr Galloway.
The former MP is understood to be keen to return to frontline politics.
He wants to campaign on Brexit and against a possible second independence referendum.
The Herald understands that if he did re-enter Westminster he would seek to “cross the floor” and become a Labour MP.
Mr Galloway was expelled from the party in 2003 after he was found to have brought it into disrepute.
In recent years he has become a supporter of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Supporters say he felt his ‘Just Say Naw’ campaign during 2014’s independence referendum was very successful.
They also described Labour north of the Border as a “busted flush”.
On the micro-blogging site Twitter Mr Galloway said: “The non-SNP parties should support a single opponent in any by-elections.”
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "No by-election has been called in Glasgow East. If one is called, Scottish Labour will field its own candidate. George Galloway is not a member of the Labour Party."
Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles said: "The last thing that people in Glasgow East need is an MP best known to a generation of TV viewers as the man who once pretended to be a cat on Big Brother. The only person who could possibly benefit from George Galloway standing if there were a by election is George Galloway."
A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: "We wouldn't stand aside for anyone, least of all George Galloway.
"This is a typically fantastical remark from his camp, and should be treated as such."
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