New Delhi, Sep 9: Three parties have decided to abstain from the Vice-Presidential election. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) of Odisha, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) of Punjab, and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of Telangana have chosen to stay away and will not align with any group.

Their decision will make little difference to the current poll arithmetic, with the nominee of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), C.P. Radhakrishnan, headed for a comfortable victory.

The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD on Monday decided to abstain from voting, while saying that it was following its long-held policy of maintaining an "equidistant" stance from both the BJP and the Congress party.

The decision was finalised at a meeting of the party's political affairs committee. Senior BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Dr Sasmit Patra announced the decision, saying, "The party has decided to abstain from the vice-presidential election...The BJD remains equidistant from both the NDA and the INDI Alliance. Our focus is solely on the development and welfare of Odisha’s 4.5 crore people."

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

The BRS announced on Monday that it would abstain from voting in the Vice-Presidential election. This was announced by the party's working president, K.T. Rama Rao. The BRS has four Rajya Sabha members and has no representation in the Lok Sabha.

Rama Rao said the decision was driven by farmers' grievances, particularly the urea shortage in Telangana.

The SAD declared on Monday evening that it would be staying away from the election. The reason behind this is said to be the flood disaster in Punjab. Akali Dal has only one MP, Harsimrat Kaur, the wife of Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal. She won from Bathinda in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The stage is set for a direct contest between NDA's Radhakrishnan and the Opposition's B. Sudershan Reddy for the vice-presidential election.

The electoral college for the Vice Presidential election comprises 781 members, including 542 elected members of the Lok Sabha and 239 members of the Rajya Sabha (233 elected and 12 nominated, with six vacancies across both Houses).

All votes carry equal value, and voting is conducted through a secret ballot, as per established parliamentary procedure. The majority mark needed to win is 391 votes.

The Vice President's post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, citing health concerns, on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament.

Political observers expect a keenly watched contest, though the NDA is seen as having a numerical advantage in the combined strength of the two Houses.

However, all eyes remain on potential cross-voting and the outcome this evening.

(IANS)

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