Bhubaneswar: There is no let up in exodus of leaders from the Congress party.

While on Sunday, Congress leaders and workers from Chilika had joined the BJD, on Monday, hundreds of party workers from Kendrapara district joined the ruling party in presence of party president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Even some BJP leaders from Kendrapara district joined the BJD.

Welcoming the leaders to the party fold, Naveen said: "I believe the joining of Congress and BJP workers will strengthen the party."

Senior BJD leader from Kendrapara Atanu Sabysachi Nayak was present at the programme. The leaders who joined the BJD on Monday said they were all inspired by the leadership quality of Naveen Patnaik.

"We are inspired by his dedication to the state's development. We want to join the BJD to help him in building the state," said a workers from Kendrapara.

The Pradesh Congress Committee, which is facing a serious threat to keep its unity intact, had suffered a major setback when its former working president and former Union minister Chandra Sekhar Sahu, along with thousands of supporters, joined the BJD in presence of Naveen Patnaik in Berhampur on April 4. On Sunday, another young face of the Congress, Manas Mangaraj, had switched his loyalty and joined the ruling party.

Reacting to the development, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Prasad Harichandan said: "Those who are deserting the party for personal gains will get a befitting reply from the people. Their exit will have no impact on party's future. The party will undergo a "Nabakalebar".

Harichandan also indicated the party would shortly undergo a restructuring.

Former PCC president Niranajan Patnaik said: "We have no differences at all. The party is united. When the party takes up a cause, it stands united."

Former Union minister Srikant Jena said: "The Congress has its rich history and tradition. Those who are deserting the party are leaving for their personal gains. They have no ideology. Here, the party stands for an ideology. No one can finish that ideology and the Congress."