New Delhi: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said that his party Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will abstain from voting in Vice-Presidential polls.
"After consultation with parliament members and senior leaders, the party has decided to abstain from voting in the vice-presidential elections," BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told reporters.
Maintaining its earlier stance to maintain equi-distance from the Congress-led UPA and BJP-led NDA, Patnaik said his party MPs favoured not taking part in the election process.
The regional party which was first to name PA Sangma as its candidate for the presidential poll, has 21 MPs, 14 in Lok Sabha and seven in Rajya Sabha.
Though the BJD strongly backed Sangma by projecting him as a prominent tribal and minority leader, the regional outfit had delayed its decision with regard to the vice-presidential poll.
The decision will be a blow for NDA candidate Jaswant Singh who was hoping to rope in support from Patnaik's party.
The BJD has 20 MPs in both houses of Parliament. Reports say the party is still smarting from the defeat of its candidate PA Sangma in the Presidential race.
(With additional inputs from PTI)
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