Bhubaneswar, Sept. 8 -- The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday announced it will abstain from voting in the Vice Presidential election scheduled for September 9. The decision was confirmed by BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra.

"The BJD has decided to abstain from tomorrow's vice presidential election. Our party continues to maintain equidistance from both the NDA and the INDIA alliances. We remain focused on the development and welfare of Odisha and its 4.5 crore people," Patra told reporters.

The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, currently the main opposition party in Odisha, holds seven seats in the Rajya Sabha but has no representation in the Lok Sabha.

Odisha Congress President Bhakta Charan Das strongly criticised the move, calling it tacit supp...