Exodus from Congress to continue in Odhisa: BJD

BHUBANESHWAR: With Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh and Congress Legislature Party secretary Anup Sai joining BJD ahead of elections in Odisha, the ruling party claimed that "mass exodus" of senior leaders from the state's main opposition party is likely to continue.

"Some more senior Congress leaders are in contact with me to join the party," BJD MP Pinaki Mishra said but refused to divulge the names.

Odisha PCC vice-president-cum-spokesman Sarat Rout, however, said the party is not worried over those who quit it.

"You will see the entry of many senior leaders into Congress in coming days," Rout told newsmen.

While Singh's resignation has sent shock waves in political circles in the state, the change began to be felt earlier. Kamala Das, a senior woman leader from Balasore district quit Congress barely two days ago.

Das, who had been a minister in Biju Patnaik ministry in the 1990s and Naveen Patnaik cabinet in early 2000, said, "I quit Congress protesting against the whims of its state leadership. They do not have any respect for senior and women leaders."

Prior to her, former minister Ramakrushna Patnaik and his wife ex-MP Kumudini from Ganjam district also quit Congress on the same ground followed by another former MLA Umesh Swain from Jagatsinghpur district.

The Patnaik couple, who had joined Congress after quiting BJD in 2002, alleged that they were ignored by the state Congress leadership. They are yet to join any party.