Odisha Politics at a Crossroads: BJD's Stand on VP Vote

The Odisha Congress has urged BJD chief Naveen Patnaik to demonstrate his party's true opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by casting votes against the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate in the vice-presidential elections set for Tuesday.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das pressurized Patnaik at a recent news conference. Das emphasized the significance of this moment, urging Patnaik to clarify to the public that BJD stands as an authentic opposition in Odisha. He warned that abstaining from the elections could inadvertently aid the BJP, recalling BJD's last-minute change of stance during the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Recognizing Patnaik's popularity and BJD's influence, the Congress leader expressed skepticism over their claims of maintaining equal distance from the Congress and BJP. He appealed to BJD to avoid decisions in the vice-presidential election that may portray it as capitulating to the BJP.

(With inputs from agencies.)