BJD, SAD & BRS abstain from Vice Presidential vote

The Vice Presidential election is currently underway in Parliament, with a contest between the BJP-led ruling alliance's candidate, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, and the INDIA bloc's nominee, former Supreme Court Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy. However, the election has been overshadowed by a significant development as three prominent political parties have announced their decision to boycott the voting. This collective abstention from the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has added a unique layer of political drama to the electoral process.

The Biju Janata Dal, led by former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was the first to declare its decision. The party announced that its Members of Parliament would abstain from the Vice Presidential vote. This move is consistent with the BJD's long-standing policy of maintaining an equal distance from both the BJP-led NDA at the national level and the Congress-led INDIA bloc. The BJD has seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha and none in the Lok Sabha, and all have been directed to stay away from the voting.

The Shiromani Akali Dal also joined the boycott, citing its grievances against both the central government and the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government in Punjab. The party expressed deep disappointment over the lack of assistance provided to Punjab in dealing with the unprecedented floods that have devastated the state. In a statement on X, SAD noted that while Punjabis have always stood with the nation in times of crisis, they are now fighting a severe disaster alone, with neither the state nor the central government providing adequate help.

Adding to the growing list of boycotting parties is the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, led by former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. The BRS announced its decision to abstain from the vote to protest the severe shortage of urea, which has been causing immense distress to farmers in the state. The party’s working president, KT Rama Rao, stated that despite repeated warnings to both the state and central governments over the last 20 days, no action has been taken to address the crisis.

The BRS framed its boycott as an act of solidarity with the 7.1 million farmers of Telangana. KT Rama Rao highlighted the party's frustration, stating, "If NOTA were an option, we would have chosen it." The BRS has four MPs in the Rajya Sabha but no representation in the Lok Sabha, which means their protest will be reflected in the final vote count.

The Vice Presidential election electoral college has a total strength of 788 members, comprising 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. This number includes 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha. With seven seats currently vacant (six in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha), the current electoral college strength is 781, and the magic number for a simple majority stands at 391. The boycott by these three parties is unlikely to change the outcome, but it sends a clear political message.