New Delhi

Margaret Alva, the Opposition candidate for the Vice-Presidential poll termed the Trinamool Congress' decision to abstain from voting as disappointing.

The election to elect Venkaiah Naidu’s successor is scheduled for August 6.

The Trinamool Congress said on Thursday that its MPs in both the Houses of the Parliament will abstain from voting in the poll to elect the next Vice President of India.

The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, which was attended by 33 out of the 35 Trinamool MPs.

"Each member was given the opportunity to present his/her views in front of the Chief Minister. Thereafter, 85 per cent of the MPs present at the meeting voiced their view in favour of abstaining from voting in the poll," TMC’s National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee told mediapersons after the meeting.

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He said while the question of supporting NDA nominee Jagdeep Dhankhar does not arise, Trinamool has strong objections to the opposition parties announcing the candidature of Margaret Alva as their candidate without consulting the Trinamool leadership or Mamata Banerjee.