A meeting of top BJP leaders took place on the second day of the Parliament's monsoon session, during which the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and 'Operation Sindoor' were discussed. The meeting was attended by several ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nirmala Sitharaman.
New Delhi: On the second day of the Parliament's monsoon session, Tuesday, the pulse of Indian politics quickened as a highly important and confidential high-level meeting of top BJP leaders was held in the Parliament complex. The timing and context of the meeting made it special — on one hand, the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, and on the other, the potential discussion on 'Operation Sindoor' in Parliament.
Increased Activity Before the Meeting
Even before the commencement of parliamentary proceedings in the morning, unusual activity was observed in the corridors of Parliament House. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju attended this meeting. Additionally, the presence of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal further underscored the meeting's seriousness. The main agenda of the meeting was to determine a strategy to deal with the constitutional crisis arising from the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and the opposition's aggressive stance in Parliament regarding 'Operation Sindoor'.
Dhankhar's Resignation: Health Reasons or Strategic Signal?
The news of Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation has sent shockwaves through political circles. According to sources close to him, he has resigned due to health reasons and now wishes to take a break from active politics. He fell ill during a trip to Nainital a few days ago, after which his family advised him to focus on his health. Dhankhar met with President Droupadi Murmu on Monday. It is reported that he will neither go to the Rajya Sabha nor give a farewell speech. He has thanked all the MPs for their affection and cooperation. However, the opposition and some political analysts are viewing it as a deep political move.
'Operation Sindoor': A Political Storm in Parliament is Inevitable
'Operation Sindoor' is becoming the most talked-about issue of the Parliament's monsoon session. This issue is related to national security, military operations, and foreign policy. The opposition has accused the government of not informing Parliament about this operation, which is a violation of constitutional procedure. After a lengthy discussion between the government and the opposition on this issue, it has been decided that it will be discussed in the Lok Sabha for 16 hours. The opposition is demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself respond to this issue. It is believed that this discussion could become a test for the government in Parliament.
Sharp Strategy Amid Political Consensus
Although a consensus has been reached between the government and the opposition on this discussion, both sides are engaged in strategizing to take political advantage of this opportunity. While the government is portraying it as a 'bold and successful military step', making it a matter of national security, the opposition is raising questions about the secrecy surrounding it and the constitutional procedure. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha have reacted sharply to this issue. They said that if the army was used, then Parliament should have been informed about it.
Indication of Future Strategy
The BJP's high-level meeting is being seen not only as current crisis management but also as preparation for the upcoming political strategy. Some sources believe that the BJP wants to bring in a new face for the vacant post of Vice President due to Dhankhar's resignation, which could set the direction for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, the BJP may try to evoke nationalistic sentiment within the country regarding 'Operation Sindoor'. In this meeting, it was also considered how to respond bly to the opposition's criticism, as well as how to effectively convey the message of the government's alleged 'courageous action' to the public.
Opposition's Strategy and BJP's Counter
The opposition's plan is to corner the government in this session on issues like 'Operation Sindoor', the special revision of the Bihar voter list, and inflation. In response, the BJP has assigned its senior MPs the responsibility of taking charge in Parliament. Sources say that the BJP is now preparing to sharpen the 'Modi versus Opposition' narrative again, in which 'Operation Sindoor' will be used as a major nationalist argument.
