Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Election: BJD to support NDA-backed JDU candidate

Bhubaneswar: Putting all speculations to rest, Odisha Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik today announced his party's support to NDA-backed JD(U) candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh for the Rajya Sabha deputy chairman post, the election for which is scheduled to be held tomorrow.

Patnaik announced the decision soon after arriving at Bhubaneswar from Mumbai.

“Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had spoken with me and our party will support the JD (U) candidate for the Rajya Sabha’s deputy chairman election,” said Patnaik while replying to a media query.

Patnaik further informed that a number of political leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah had spoken to him in this regard.

Now with BJD extending support to NDA, BJP has moved close towards attaining majority for its candidate for the deputy chairman post of the upper house.

With no clear majority of both NDA and UPA, support of regional parties like BJD is considered to be crucial during the election for the deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha.