Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday raised questions over the sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, hinting at political friction and deeper reasons behind the move that go beyond the official explanation of health concerns.
In a detailed post on X, Ramesh pointed to the conspicuous absence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju from a crucial second meeting of the Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee (BAC) on July 21, which was chaired by Dhankhar.
“Yesterday, Shri Jagdeep Dhankar chaired the Business Advisory Committee at 12:30 PM. It was attended by most members, including Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. The BAC decided to meet again at 4:30 PM,” Ramesh wrote.
“At 4:30 PM, the BAC reassembled. It waited for Nadda and Rijiju to arrive. They never came. More importantly, Dhankhar was not even informed of their absence. He rightly took umbrage and rescheduled the BAC for July 22 at 1 PM,” he added.
The Congress leader suggested that “something very serious happened between 1 PM and 4:30 PM” that triggered the senior ministers’ unexplained no-show, describing their absence as “deliberate.”
Ramesh acknowledged Dhankhar’s official reason of resigning on medical advice but insisted there were significant political reasons beneath the surface. “While he cited health concerns — which we must respect — it is clear there are far deeper reasons for his resignation.”
Praising Dhankhar’s tenure, Ramesh said he made efforts to uphold institutional norms and maintain dialogue with the Opposition — rare traits in the current political climate.
“He often spoke up for farmers, challenged arrogance in public life, and called for judicial accountability. Though elected by the ruling regime, Dhankhar upheld propriety and tried to accommodate the Opposition as much as possible,” Ramesh said.
He concluded by saying that the Vice President’s resignation reflects his integrity, while casting a shadow over those who placed him in office: “His resignation speaks well of him, and poorly of those who got him elected as Vice President.”
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar submitted his resignation on July 21, stating he was stepping down “to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice.” His resignation came just hours after parliamentary meetings and on the opening day of the monsoon session, adding fuel to political speculation.
In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar expressed gratitude for her support and also acknowledged the cooperation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers, calling his tenure a “privilege” in India’s evolving democratic landscape.