Bhubaneswar, Sep 8: The Odisha Congress on Monday challenged Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik to prove his party's opposition to the BJP by voting against the NDA candidate in Tuesday's vice presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said, “This is a crucial opportunity for Naveen Patnaik to demonstrate to the people of Odisha that the BJD is truly playing the role of the opposition in the state. Simply abstaining from the vote to avoid taking a stand will ultimately benefit the BJP.”

Das also pointed to what he called a pattern in BJD’s behavior, citing the party’s reversal on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. Although the BJD initially opposed the Bill, it later refrained from issuing a whip, allowing its MPs to vote as they wished—effectively softening its stance.

He further criticized the BJD's repeated claims of maintaining equal distance from both the Congress and the BJP. “Despite their assertions, their actions—whether in the Assembly or in public forums—suggest otherwise,” Das remarked. He emphasized that with Naveen Patnaik’s popularity and the BJD’s political weight in the state, the party’s decisions carry significant influence.

Meanwhile, the BJD officially announced it would abstain from voting in the vice presidential election.

“Our party has decided to abstain from the vice presidential polls. The Biju Janata Dal continues to maintain equidistance from both the NDA and the INDIA alliances. Our focus remains solely on the development and welfare of Odisha and its 4.5 crore people,” said Sasmit Patra, BJD's leader in the Rajya Sabha.