The Kedah Barisan Nasional (BN) will submit a list of three names to the party leadership for selection as BN candidate for the Sungai Limau state by-election.

Menteri Besar Datuk Mukhriz Tun Dr Mahathir, who is also state UMNO liaison chairman, said BN had to be thorough in selecting the candidate as Sungai Limau was a PAS stronghold since 1995.

"The three proposed candidates should be among local residents and have religious education to be accepted by all constituents in Sungai Limau," he told reporters after chairing the state UMNO special meeting to discuss preparations for the Sungai Limau by-election here last night.

The by-election will be held, following the death of its incumbent, former menteri besar Tan Sri Azizan Abdul Razak on Sept 26.

In the last general election on May 5, this year, Azizan garnered 13,294 votes, beating his cousin BN candidate Mohd Fazillah Mohd Ali, by a majority of 2,774 votes.

Mukhriz said BN would have to work hard and show its seriousness to develop the constituency if it wanted to capture Sungai Limau.

"We can only offer development if the constituency is represented by a BN candidate," he added.

He said about 40 per cent of the 27,287 voters in Sungai Limau were young people, with the Malays comprising 25,388 people.

At the meeting last night, Mukhriz said special committees had been set up to face the Sungai Limau by-election.

Azizan, who was also the state PAS commissioner, was the Sungai Limau state assemblyman since 1995.