BHUBANESWAR: Another sitting Congress MLA Prakash Behera is likely to quit the party in the next couple of days continuing the trend of party leaders resigning to seek greener pastures elsewhere. 
The desertion of Congress leaders in the run up to General Elections has given rise to serious questions on the party’s bid to return to power in Odisha by dislodging the ruling BJD. Behera is expected to join the BJP soon.

That Behera, the sitting Congress MLA from Salepur, will resign from the party was known in the political circles since the last several months. Sources said the Congress leader has already discussed the issue with his supporters in the constituency. 

There was a broad hint about Behera’s decision to quit Congress at a padayatra recently held by him in the constituency in which there was no Congress flags and banners.

It was speculated that Behera will join BJD and contest as the ruling party candidate from Salepur Assembly constituency in the upcoming elections. 

The situation has, however, changed after the announcement of Health and Family Welfare Minister Pratap Jena at a workers meeting at Salepur on Wednesday that Prashant Behera, BJD’s candidate from the constituency in 2014 polls, will be repeated this time also.

Sources maintained that sitting BJD MP from Nabarangpur, Balabhadra Majhi who resigned from the party on Thursday is likely to join BJP on Saturday. 

Majhi left for New Delhi on Friday. Majhi had sent his letter for resignation from the primary membership of BJD to party chief and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. He had said since the BJD no longer wants his services, there was no point in him remaining in the party anymore.