The five MLAs, known to be close to BJD Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC) chairman Bijoy Mohapatra, strongly objected to their suspension but resolved to fight their cases within the party.

Mohapatra today refused to comment on the situation, which he described as ``fluid''.

As many as five BJD MPs -- Tathagat Satpathy, Prabhat Samantray, Padmanabha Behera, Bhatruhari Mahtab and Prasanna Patsani -- met party president Naveen Patnaik at his residence last night to thrash out differences. The five MPs were also present at the marathon meeting of the dissidents held afterwards at Mohapatra's residence.

While the dissidents wanted immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the suspension order on five MLAs, the party president was quoted as saying that he neededtime to think over the rebels' demand. The party chief, who had stated earlier that his decision to suspend the legislators was aimed at inculcating discipline in the outfit, appeared reluctant to revoke the suspensions.

Significantly, some leaders expressed concern that if the crisis was not settled it could drag the party towards a split. As BJD dissidents continued to confabulate, a section of Janata Dal leaders were also busy holding meetings, in search of a possible political realignment, JD sources said.

Though differences between Naveen Patnaik and Mohapatra had come to the open in recent weeks, the party candidate's defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls appears to have expedited the crisis in the BJD. However, Patnaik did not link the suspension of the MLAs to the charge of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election. The dissidents, on the other hand, alleged that the suspension of MLAs in the wake of the Rajya Sabha defeat made it appear as if they were being punished for cross-voting.