Former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stepped down from his post over a month ago, is currently staying at Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) chief Abhay Singh Chautala’s farmhouse in Delhi’s Chhatarpur Enclave. The reason behind this arrangement lies in a decades-old relationship between the Dhankhar and Chautala families that dates back to 1989.

Their bond began when Haryana’s tallest Jat leader and then Chief Minister Devi Lal, Abhay’s grandfather, identified Dhankhar as a promising young lawyer from Rajasthan. Dhankhar, in turn, always considered Devi Lal his political mentor. When Dhankhar needed accommodation after resigning, Abhay extended a family gesture, offering his farmhouse as Dhankhar’s temporary residence. “He is like an elder to us. I told him this is his home,” Abhay said.

Dhankhar first caught Devi Lal’s attention during an Opposition rally on September 25, 1989, at Delhi’s Boat Club, where he managed to organize 500 vehicles from Rajasthan. The rally was a crucial step in uniting the Opposition against the Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress government.

Later, in the 1989 Lok Sabha elections, Dhankhar was offered the Janata Dal ticket from Jhunjhunu and won, strengthening his ties with Devi Lal. When Devi Lal became Deputy Prime Minister, Dhankhar was appointed Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs.

In 1990, when V P Singh dismissed Devi Lal, Dhankhar was the only minister to resign in solidarity. He later served again in Chandra Shekhar’s government before moving to Congress and contesting elections from Ajmer in 1991, though unsuccessfully.

Over the years, Dhankhar maintained his close association with the Chautala family, even attending Om Prakash Chautala’s state funeral in December 2024 and recalling his mentor’s contribution to farmers’ welfare.

Earlier this year, Dhankhar credited Devi Lal for inspiring him to shift from being a “pleader” to a “leader.” After his sudden resignation as Vice-President on July 21, Abhay Chautala alleged a conspiracy, claiming Dhankhar was “forced to resign” by the Modi-Shah leadership for his pro-farmer stance. Despite political turbulence, Dhankhar remains deeply connected to the Chautalas, who continue to treat him as family.