PTI

NEW DELHI, Jan 15: Leader of Opposition in Orissa and Congress Legislature Party leader J B Patnaik is understood to have resigned from his post to  facilitate the reorganisation of the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Party sources said Patnaik, who has been a chief minister of Orissa for 14 years, resigned following a meeting with Congress President Sonia Gandhi yesterday evening.

The veteran of Orissa politics was the PCC president for a long time and party sources said a younger leadership will be projected in the state to counter BJD chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

It was not immediately known whether the Leader of Opposition will be accommodated in some other position in the state or outside.

Sources said PCC president Jaydev Jena would also be changed in the reshuffle of the state unit which will take place anytime now.

Jena, a Dalit, had been facing dissident activity with several state leaders giving representation to the party high command to change him in the wake of weak campaign against the ruling BJD-BJP government in the state.

Orissa sends 21 members to the Lok Sabha and the party wants to be fighting fit ahead of the parliamentary polls, likely to be held in April-May.