Will Naveen Patnaik Stand Against BJP in Vice Presidential Election? Congress Challenges BJD

Congress Urges BJD to Take a Stand

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Congress has called on BJD leader Naveen Patnaik to demonstrate his party's opposition to the BJP by casting a vote against the NDA candidate in the upcoming Vice Presidential election scheduled for Tuesday.

During a press briefing, Bhakta Charan Das, the president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), emphasized, "This is an ideal moment for Patnaik to clarify to the public that his BJD is the true opposition in Odisha. Choosing to abstain from the Vice Presidential election would ultimately benefit the BJP."

Das also highlighted a previous instance where the BJD altered its stance regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha.

Initially, the party had intended to oppose the Bill, but just before it was presented in the Rajya Sabha, the BJD unexpectedly shifted its position, allowing its MPs to vote based on personal judgment without issuing an official directive.

Acknowledging Patnaik's popularity and the BJD's significant political presence in the state, Das remarked, "While they profess to maintain neutrality between Congress and BJP, their actions in the Assembly and on various public platforms suggest otherwise."

He urged the regional party to avoid making a decision in the Vice Presidential election that could be perceived as capitulation to the BJP.