Odisha's principal Opposition party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), on Monday (September 8, 2025) 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.
Who elects India’s Vice-President: electors, process, and numbers at a glance
"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 in Bhubaneswar.
Mr. Patra said that the BJD maintains an equal distance from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc.
