The Biju Janata Dal on Saturday said that it voted for the National Democratic Alliance candidate for the election of the Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson because it wanted to support the Janata Dal (United) based on “ideological similarities”. Janata Dal (United) MP Harivansh Narayan Singh, the NDA candidate, defeated Opposition nominee BK Hariprasad.

“The Biju Janata Dal believes that when it comes to the elections for constitutional posts such as speaker or deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, there should be unanimity,” party spokesperson Sasmit Patra said, according to PTI. “However, that did not happen.”

“We made our stand clear two days ago [on which candidate we will support],” Patra added. “However, the Opposition party leaders were not ready to understand the circumstances. We have nothing more to say.”

Odisha Pradesh Congress President Niranjan Patnaik had tweeted pictures of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the caption “phone a friend”, implying that there were discussions between them.