BALANGIR: In a jolt to the Congress in Balangir, nine senior leaders including OPCC general secretary Laxman Meher resigned from the party on Wednesday. Unhappy over candidature of Samarendra Mishra, son of Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, they took the decision to quit the party.

Laxman was an aspirant for the seat. The other leaders who resigned from primary membership of the party are former district president of Congress Bhagwan Bagarti, Deogaon block chairman and secretary of Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress Reena Meher, former chairperson of Balangir Municipality Pradeep Sahu, former district Congress legal cell chairman Prabin Mishra, former vice-president of DCC-Balangir Radhakanta Nayak besides, Janmajaya Sahu, Mahendra Jal and Pradyumna Kumar Mishra. Laxman alleged that Narasingha has a secret pact with  Naveen Patnaik. “In the last five years, the Opposition has failed to move any no-confidence motion in Assembly,” he said.