Former ministers Nalini Kanta Mahanty and Prafulla Chandra Ghadei were two prominent leaders who did not attend the executive body meet today. Besides, three other party MLAs -- who always figure in the list of the defectors -- Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha, Mangalla Kissan and Hrushikesh Nayak did not attend the meeting.

The absence of Mahanty and Ghadei from the meeting has fuelled speculations regarding another split in the state JD. Reports suggest that Mahanty, Ghadei and several others are no longer interested in continuing as they feel the party has no chance of revival.

With five MLAs abstaining from the state executive meeting, it has now become clear that the pro-split leaders have reached the numbers to avoid the provisions of the Anti-defection Act. The JD now has 14 MLAs in the Assembly.

However, differences of opinionhave already cropped up among the five Dal MLAs as to whether they should join the BJD or the Congress. Sources said that two pro-split senior leaders are hobnobbing with the Congress. However, they wait to be inducted at a respectable position. Speculation is rife that these two have already been assured ministerial positions if they join the Congress along with the three other MLAs.

Sources said that the five MLAs are waiting for the return of Chief Minister J B Patnaik and other senior Congress leaders from New Delhi. Almost all the senior Congress leaders had left for Delhi in view of the AICC session. The chief minister is scheduled to return here on April 10.

Meanwhile, a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) spokesman claimed that the five Dal MLAs would join the regional party and were waiting for an opportune time. He said that the Dal leaders were likely to join the BJD around the third week of this month.