Bhubaneswar, Jan 20 (IANS): Former Union Minister Srikant Jena and former MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria have been expelled from Congress for alleged anti-party activities in Odisha, a senior party leader said.

In a late Saturday night press release, Odisha Pradesh Congress disciplinary committee convenor Ananta Sethi said the two leaders have been expelled from the primary membership of the party following the approval of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

They have been expelled on the charge of anti-party activities and issuing statements in media against the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) office bearers causing damage to the Congress, said Sethi.

While Jena was a former Union Minister in the previous UPA government, Sagaria represented Koraput assembly constituency.

Jena had earlier resigned from all party posts by openly challenging the state leadership in December last year. Sagaria formally resigned from the membership of the Odisha assembly on November 6, 2018.