The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) will not back the NDA’s nominee in the upcoming Vice Presidential election, former party MP Mahesh Sahoo has confirmed. Speaking to the media, Sahoo stated that regardless of who the NDA fields, the BJD will refrain from offering its support.
He recalled that during the last presidential election, the party had supported “Odisha’s daughter” Droupadi Murmu when Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated her for the post. “That situation was different,” he said, adding that recent controversies related to the Waqf Board were no longer a relevant political factor.
With discussions around the Vice Presidential race heating up, speculation had been rife over which side the BJD might support. A decision to back the NDA would be viewed as aligning more closely with the BJP, while siding with the I.N.D.I.A bloc could reshape political equations at the national level. Remaining neutral, on the other hand, could potentially reduce the party’s influence in Delhi’s political circles.
All eyes are now on BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, who is yet to announce the party’s official stance. The Vice President’s post has been vacant since Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, and the Election Commission has already set a date for the polls.
So far, neither the NDA nor the I.N.D.I.A alliance has revealed its candidate. However, Sahoo’s categorical statement has already set the tone for the political battle ahead.