Bhubaneswar, Jun 06: Efforts to put up a common candidate by opposition parties for the Rajya Sabha elections in Orissa suffered a jolt today with BJP deciding to abstain from the entire poll process.
“BJP has decided not to take part in the Rajya Sabha polls. The party will abstain from the entire process as we want to maintain equi-distance from both ruling BJD as well as opposition Congress in the state,” state BJP President Jual Oram told PTI here.
The party, which has six members in the 147-member State Assembly, would also not extend support to any independent candidate in the biennial elections, Oram said on the eve of the final day for filing nominations tomorrow for three Rajya Sabha seats due to fall vacant from July one.
–Agencies