Bhubaneswar, Feb. 2: Congress leader J.B. Patnaik’s efforts to unite all anti-Naveen Patnaik forces in the state received a jolt today when Orissa Gana Parishad (OGP) leader Tathagat Satpathy revolted against his party’s proposed alliance with the Congress.

Satpathy, who was elected from Dhenkanal on a BJD ticket in the 1998 Lok Sabha polls but was later suspended from the party by Naveen, said he was quitting the OGP because its president, Bijoy Mohapatra, had deviated from his anti-Congress stance and decided to join hands with the party.

Although the son of former Orissa chief minister and senior Congress leader Nandini Satpathy did not spell out his plans, he hinted at a return to the BJD in the next few days.

Satpathy’s “disassociation” from the OGP seems to have boosted Naveen’s morale. “I have an open mind. I welcome (those) who are ready to return,” Naveen said, in an apparent bid to take back the mercurial leader into the party. In 1998, Satpathy was suspended from the BJD over allegations of anti-party activities.

Although there was little love lost between the two, Satpathy’s newspaper had of late changed its critical tone against Naveen to a conciliatory one.

“I have been fighting against the Congress in the state for long. Now this party is being headed by J.B. Patnaik, who is known for his misgovernance and maladministration. I just cannot align myself to a party and person I have been opposing for long,” Satpathy said, adding that he would campaign against the Congress in the coming polls.

Asked if was contemplating joining the BJD, he was evasive, saying he had not sent any feelers to Naveen nor received any invitation from him.