"Script was written earlier": Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat on Jagdeep Dhankar's "unexpected" resignation

New Delhi [India], July 22 (ANI): Congress leader Sukhdeo Bhagat on Tuesday suggested that Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar's resignation might have been preplanned, citing the "disappearance" of Union Minister JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju from the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held earlier on Monday.
While praying for Dhankar's good health, the Congress MP also mentioned that the Vice President's resignation was "sudden" and "unexpected," saying that if Dhankar stepped down due to health reasons, then he could have done it before the commencement of the Parliament monsoon session.
"We pray to God for his good health and long life. Everything appears normal in politics, but this is not the case. If it was on health grounds, I think he could have done it even before the session. Yesterday he suddenly resigned, it was unexpected. The BJP has forgotten their government traditions. Union Minister JP Nadda said whatever I say will go on record, so will you dictate to the Vice President? Secondly, there was a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee yesterday," Bhagat told ANI here.
Talking about the absence of Nadda and Rijiju from the BAC meeting, the Congress leader added, "The Parliamentary Affairs Minister disappears. JP Nadda disappears. That's why I said the script was written earlier, and that was seen yesterday (July 21)."
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India leader Sandosh Kumar also said that only the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) can explain the unexpected resignation of Dhankar. Kumar said that Dhankar seemed really enthusiastic in running the House, and was going to be part of several meetings too.
"I don't think it is because of his ill health, and only the BJP can explain on what happened last night. The Chairman was very enthusiastic in running the House, there were a number of meeting announced, BAC, all party meeting then quite unexpectedly this happened. We don't know much about this, like all NDA regime decisions, like notebandi, GST were announced midnight only. So this only BJP can explain as he is the creation of BJP that way," he told ANI.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, too, on Tuesday questioned the resignation of Dhankar, saying that there are "far deeper reasons" behind the resignation, citing the "deliberate" absence of Nadda and Rijiju from the BAC meeting.

"At 4:30 PM, the BAC reassembled under the chairmanship of Shri Jagdeep Dhankar. It waited for Shri Nadda and Shri Rijiju to arrive. They never came. Shri Jagdeep Dhankar was not personally informed that the two senior Ministers were not attending. Rightly, he took umbrage and rescheduled the BAC for today (July 22) at 1 PM," the Congress leader said in the post.
On Monday evening, Dhankhar resigned from his post "to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice." Dhankhar, who is also Chairman of Rajya Sabha, sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu.
"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the constitution," the letter read.
"I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency - the Hon'ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure," the letter added.
The Vice President also expressed his deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers. (ANI)