Bhubaneswar, Aug. 6: The BJD has decided to abstain from voting in the vice-presidential elections, scheduled to be held tomorrow, inviting sharp criticism from the state BJP.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik announced the party’s decision yesterday after consulting his party MPs and senior colleagues. The decision has been taken apparently to discard the impression that the party was moving closer towards the BJP.

The impression had gained ground in certain circles after the BJD announced the candidature of former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma. Though the BJP had supported Sangma later, there were reports that the BJD had a tacit understanding with the BJP. A meeting between Naveen and BJP leader L.K. Advani in New Delhi had given credence to such theories. However, Naveen was making it clear that his party had been maintaining equidistance from the Congress and the BJP. Having burnt his fingers during the presidential polls, Naveen had kept the party’s decision till the last minute.

As reported in The Telegraph on July 22, the overwhelming mood in the party was to “abstain” from voting in the vice-presidential polls.

Reacting sharply to Naveen’s announcement, state BJP unit president Jual Oram said: “The decision will only help the Congress’s chance. The BJD is in the habit of adopting double standards during crises. When the BJD had sought support for P.A. Sangma’s candidature for the presidential election, we were not communal. Now when we want reciprocal support, we are dubbed as communal.” Baishnab Parida, BJD Rajya Sabha member, said: “With the decision to abstain from voting, we have been able to maintain our regional identity. We neither support the Congress nor the BJP.”

Admitting that there were speculations that the BJD would join hands with the NDA, Parida said: “With the decision of the party not to take part in the vice-presidential elections, we have been able to send a strong message that the BJD is not going to join hands with the BJP-led NDA.”

The state has 31 MPs (21 in the Lok Sabha and 10 in the Rajya Sabha) and the BJD has 21 members (14 in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha). Moreover, it has the support of an Independent candidate, A.V. Swamy.