Bhubaneswar: In a blow to Odisha unit of Congress ahead of Bijepur by-poll, popular Odia actor Aparajita Mohanty today resigned from the party.

Speculation is rife that she will soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The actor could not be reached for her comments on the development.

Sources said the Congress was planning rope in the hugely popular cine star for Bijepur by-election campaigning among other star campaigners.

Aparajita, who is a household name among film lovers in Odisha, had joined the national party just ahead of 2014 General Elections. She had said that she has a weakness for the Congress for a long time.

Also Read: Aparajita joins Congress

Congress also fielded the veteran actress from Cuttack parliamentary constituency but she was defeated by BJD’s Bhartruhari Mahtab by over two lakh votes.

Since then she was hardly seen attending the party’s activities which fuelled the speculation that the grand-old party has lost faith on her.

The "Phula Chandan" star’s husband, Uttam Mohanty, is with the ruling BJD.