Bhubaneswar: BJD sources here hinted at the party abstaining from voting in the Lok Sabha on the Opposition-sponsored no confidence motion in order to maintain its equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress.

The sources, however, said that the party would participate in the debate and was expected to attack the Narendra Modi government for its failure to safeguard the interests of Odisha before staging a walkout.

The BJD, which faces Assembly elections along with the Lok Sabha early next year, would not like to be perceived as getting close to either the BJP, its erstwhile poll ally, or the Congress.

Although the BJD MPs on Thursday had a meeting in New Delhi to discuss the party's strategy, sources said that party supremo Naveen Patnaik was yet to take a final call on the issue.

The BJD has 19 members in the Lok Sabha after the resignation of Kendrapara MP Baijyant 'Jay' Panda, which was accepted by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Thursday.

Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patsani on Thursday admitted that the MPs had left the decision on the issue to the party president. "He will communicate his decision at the appropriate time," he said.

However, sources said most of the BJD MPs were of the view that the party should either support the no-confidence motion or oppose it.

"Equal distance has no relevance and it does not send a right message to the public. We must take a stand," said another MP on the condition of anonymity.

BJD MP Prasanna Acharya said: "We will not miss this opportunity to highlight how both the NDA and the UPA have ignored the interests of the state over the years."

For the BJD it is difficult to be seen in the company of the BJP as the latter has sharpened its attack on the party in the election year. The BJP has ambitions of winning more than 120 seats in the Assembly and forming a government. Party president Amit Shah has been visiting the state frequently and criticising the Naveen government.

However, it would also not like to be seen as voting with the TDP, one of the sponsors of the motion, as it has been running a feud with the Andhra Pradesh government over the controversial Polavaram project.

On July 12 chief minister Naveen Patnaik had written to the Prime Minister protesting against the Andhra Pradesh government's continued work on project when the matter was sub judice.