Naveen Patnaik led Governing BJD finds it difficult to maintain its equal distance policy from both the Congress and BJP.

1. Abstain From Voting?

2. Naveen Patnaik led Governing BJD finds it difficult to maintain its equal distance
policy from both the Congress and BJP.

3. The situation is created as the Opposition sponsored no-confidence notice was
accepted by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The House will debate and go for
voting on Friday.

4. However, though less than 24 hours are left for the no-confidence motion debate, the
regional outfit is in a fix and unable to decide whether to support the government or
go with the opposition.

5. The BJD will reveal its stand on the no-confidence motion against the NDA-led Centre
on the floor of the Parliament on 20 July.

6. What actually worries Naveen is that if the party decides to support the NDA
Government, it will have to break its equi-distance policy.

7. If it abstains from voting, it will also indicate that BJD supports the BJP led NDA
Government. If it votes along with opposition, it will indicate that the BJD supports
Congress led opposition front.

8. The Opposition-sponsored no-confidence motion, moved for the first time since the
BJP-led dispensation came to power four years ago, would be taken up for debate in
the Lok Sabha on 20 July.

9. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) with 19 MPs has the fifth largest number of members in the
Lower House. The issue was discussed by the BJD Parliamentary Party (BJDPP) in
New Delhi today. The meeting was presided over by its leader Bhartruhari Mahtab,
senior MP Prasanna Patsani said here.

10. He said since BJDPP could not decide on the party's stand on the no-confidence
motion, the decision was left on the party president (Naveen Patnaik).

11. Whatever decision he (Patnaik) takes on this issue, it will be carried out during the
debate in Parliament tomorrow, Mr.Patsani said. Sources in the ruling party, however,
said though the BJD MPs would participate in the debate and put forth the state
issues in the Parliament, they may abstain during voting.

12. BJD will get the opportunity to raise its core issues like River Mahanadi water dispute
with Chhattisgarh, the controversial Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh and its
long-standing demand for Special Category Status (SPS) for Odisha during the
discussion, they said.

13. All BJD MPs, including Rama Chandra Hansda, who was released on bail recently,
were present at the BJDPP meeting.

14. BJD President Naveen Patnaik has already issued a whip asking all the 19 party MPs
in Lok Sabha to remain present during the debate in Parliament.

15. The number of MPs of the party was reduced from 20 to 19 today after Lok Sabha
Speaker Sumitra Mahajan accepted BJD MP Baijayant Panda's resignation.

16. Though the BJD has claimed that it was maintaining equal distance from both
Congress and the BJP, the party had backed Ram Nath Kovind, who was the NDA
candidate during the Presidential elections. However, it had openly opposed the
Alliance's candidate in the election of the Vice-President.

17. Source:
http://tathya.in/news/27579/0/Abstain-From-Voting-?