Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s principal Opposition party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Monday announced that its MPs will abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential elections.
The party, headed by former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said it took the decision as part of its policy of “maintaining an equal distance” from both the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led INDIA bloc at the national level.
“BJD president Naveen Patnaik has decided that the party’s MPs will abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential elections. He took the decision after consulting senior party leaders, members of the political affairs committee (PAC) and lawmakers,” BJD MP Sasmit Patra told reporters here.
Patra said that the BJD maintains an equal distance from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc.
“Our entire focus is on the development of the state and its 4.5 crore people,” Patra said.
The Vice Presidential polls will be held Tuesday.
Reacting to the development, both Congress and the BJP said that the BJD’s decision will indirectly help the NDA candidate for the Vice President’s post.
Welcoming BJD’s decision, senior BJP leader and Union minister Jual Oram said, “By deciding that BJD MPs will abstain from voting, Naveen Babu has indirectly supported the NDA candidate.”
The saffron party’s Bargarh MP, Pradeep Purohit, echoed Oram in saying that the BJD’s decision will benefit the NDA candidate.
“They have not opposed our candidate,” he said.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das said, “Abstaining from voting means supporting the BJP… this was an opportunity for the BJD to prove that it is opposed to the saffron camp.”
BJD MPs had in 2012 also abstained from voting in the Vice Presidential elections.
PTI
