New Delhi, Sep 9 As voting continues on Tuesday for the crucial Vice Presidential election, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sulata Deo clarified her party’s decision to abstain from voting, saying it was taken in the interest of the people of Odisha.

Speaking to IANS, Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo said, “Our party is a regional party, not a national one. The decision taken by our leader, Naveen Patnaik, is our priority. He made this decision keeping in mind the interests of the people of Odisha, and we respect that. That is why we have decided not to vote.”

On being asked whether she believes the opposition candidate stands a chance, Deo said the outcome remains uncertain until the evening. “Voting is still underway. It’s hard to say who will win or lose, especially since there is no whip issued in this election. We’ll know only after the results are announced tonight,” she added.

The BJD, which had failed to open its account in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has seven Rajya Sabha MPs.

The Vice Presidential election, which began at 10 a.m. at the New Parliament Building, will continue until 5 p.m., with counting scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. The election is a straight contest between the NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan and the opposition INDIA bloc candidate, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote. In a post on X, he wrote: “Voted in the 2025 Vice President election.”

Other MPs from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc alliances have been arriving steadily to cast their votes. All members were provided with identical pens to ensure vote secrecy.

Notably, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, now a Rajya Sabha MP, arrived in a wheelchair to cast his vote, drawing respect across party lines.

Despite abstentions from parties like BJD, the NDA is seen to have a numerical edge, but the opposition is hopeful for cross-voting surprises as the political battle for the nation’s second-highest constitutional post continues. (IANS)

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