Mamata Banerjee Questions Vice President’s Resignation Motives

NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has raised doubts about the stated health reasons behind Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation, suggesting there may be underlying factors at play. Speaking to reporters in Howrah, Banerjee described Dhankhar as “a healthy man,” casting skepticism on the official explanation for his abrupt exit from the vice presidency. “I don’t want to comment extensively on this,” she said, adding, “Let’s see what happens. I think his health is absolutely okay.”

Dhankhar’s resignation, announced on Monday evening, has sparked widespread political speculation. The move came shortly after he chaired a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting at 12:30 PM, which was attended by senior BJP leaders, including Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. The committee decided to reconvene at 4:30 PM, but Nadda and Rijiju did not attend the second meeting, reportedly informing Dhankhar’s office in advance of their absence. Congress MP Jairam Ramesh suggested this incident may have upset Dhankhar, pointing to “far deeper reasons” for the resignation. Ramesh noted that Dhankhar’s final official act was allowing a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court, a decision that may have stirred additional controversy.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed allegations of internal discord, with Nadda clarifying that both he and Rijiju had notified Dhankhar’s office about their inability to attend the rescheduled BAC meeting. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) speculated about a broader BJP strategy possibly involving Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, though the BJP rejected these claims as baseless.

ALSO READ : PM Modi Reacts to Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation, Wishes Him Good Health

Banerjee’s remarks fuel ongoing debates about the true motives behind Dhankhar’s departure, which occurred with over two years remaining in his term. Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Dhankhar’s service in a post on X, stating, “Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health.” The resignation has left political circles abuzz, with opposition leaders like Ramesh hinting at undisclosed tensions, while the ruling party maintains there is no cause for suspicion.