The election to choose India’s next Vice President on Sunday saw two regional parties, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), abstain from voting, keeping themselves away from the high-profile contest.

Polling was held in Parliament with MPs from both Houses casting their votes. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) had a clear numerical advantage, the abstention of the two parties drew attention in political circles.

The BJD, led by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has often maintained a neutral stance in national-level political battles. The party has supported central governments in the past on specific issues but has avoided aligning strongly with either the BJP or the Congress. By staying away, it has once again signaled its intent to remain equidistant in national politics.

Similarly, the BRS, under K. Chandrashekar Rao, has been attempting to build itself as an alternative to the BJP and the Congress. Abstaining from the vice-presidential election is being seen as part of its broader strategy to distance itself from both national parties while keeping focus on regional consolidation.

Despite these abstentions, the NDA’s candidate is widely expected to secure a comfortable victory given the ruling alliance’s strength in Parliament. The result will be declared once counting is completed later in the day.

The abstention by BJD and BRS highlights the balancing act regional parties continue to play in national politics ahead of key electoral battles.