The ruling BJD on Tuesday abstained from voting in the Vice-Presidential poll,but A V Swamy,Independent Rajya Sabha member from Orissa who was elected with support from the party,cast his vote.
Swamy,81,said he voted for Hamid Ansari because he was a minority candidate. There was no diktat from the BJD about abstaining from voting. I am thankful to Naveen Patnaik for not stopping me from voting, he said.
Patnaik had decided against supporting anyone in the Vice-Presidential election.


