Jagdeep Dhankhar Quits As VP | India News Today
NEW DELHI — In a dramatic turn of events that stunned the power circles in New Delhi, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on Monday evening, halfway into his term. His abrupt departure, officially blamed on health grounds, has caused crazy speculations regarding the true motives behind the action.
From Parliamentary Work to Resignation Within Hours
Until 4 PM, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Dhankhar, 74, led the first sitting of the Rajya Sabha's monsoon session and then attended a Business Advisory Committee meeting later. Only a few minutes into this, an official release announced his scheduled trip to Jaipur—a point that left many confused, given that parliamentary sessions demand the Vice President's presence in the capital.
Then came the shocker.
At 6:30 PM, Dhankhar had tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu under Article 67(a) of the Constitution of India. In his resignation letter, he stated:
"To give priority to health care and follow medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice-President of India with immediate effect."
Dhankhar thus becomes the sole voluntary retiring Vice President who was never a presidential candidate—contrary to V.V. Giri, Shankar Dayal Sharma, or K.R. Narayanan.
Health Issues — Or Something Else?
Though Dhankhar had received a heart procedure in March and passed out at a private gathering in Nainital on June 25, he is said to have been in good health when he submitted his resignation. He had been in a visibly sound state of health earlier in the day while presiding over the Upper House.
The difference has been creating a lot of political gossip. Was it actually health, or was there some political frustration brewing behind closed doors?
According to insiders, some had sensed Dhankhar’s increasing discomfort over recent months. Despite his vocal support for the ruling BJP leadership, there were signs that he was dissatisfied with the direction of political discourse, particularly on legal and constitutional issues.
A Flashpoint Before Exit: The Justice Varma Motion
Only hours earlier, Dhankhar had made another newsworthy step—he gave the nod to a motion in the Rajya Sabha for instituting proceedings against Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Yashwant Varma. This step was similar to the Lok Sabha's motion, sparking questions about timing and whether it had anything to do with Dhankhar stepping down.
Analysts have opined this move, which was made despite the government's previous insistence that only the Lok Sabha would bring such a motion, might have enhanced tensions between Dhankhar and the executive.
Opposition Seizes Moment, Sees Opportunity
Though BJP was taken aback, the opposition seemed primed to take advantage of the situation.
Mallikarjun Kharge, Rajya Sabha's Leader of the Opposition, had previously been permitted a longer intervention on sensitive topics such as the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and Donald Trump's controversial utterances. Such a deviation from traditional parliamentary norm was internalized as criticism by the treasury benches.
Many think that Dhankhar's recent softness towards opposition leaders, accompanied by his neutrality on matters of law, could have isolated him from parts of the ruling establishment.
And now, with his abrupt departure, the opposition feels there is an opportunity knocking.
"This resignation, on the first day of the monsoon session, couldn't have occurred at a more inopportune moment for the BJP," a top Congress leader said. "The optics are harmful. It's a textbook example of internal conflict being presented as a health issue."
BJP in Damage Control Mode
The NDA government is now in a hurry to select a replacement. A meeting of senior BJP and NDA party leaders is slated later this week to finalize the next Vice Presidential candidate. There are several names in the running, but the party is wary—particularly against the backdrop of the furore over Dhankhar's promotion in 2022 when his credentials had been doubted by many in spite of his short stint as West Bengal Governor.
Who is Jagdeep Dhankhar?
Dhankhar, who is a lawyer by profession and a retired Union Minister of State during the brief V.P. Singh government, experienced a second lease of political life when he was inducted into the BJP in the recent decade. Being made the Governor of West Bengal, where he quite often had run-ins with CM Mamata Banerjee, catapulted him into national prominence.
In August 2022, he took over the office of Vice President, becoming the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He was notorious for his blunt tongue and constant interrupting of speeches in debates and was both praised and criticized for his brash approach to parliamentary matters.
What's Next for Dhankhar?
Curiously, few think that this incredible journey of Dhankhar has come to an end. Those close to him suggest that he might not only adopt a more overt political role now—maybe positioning himself as Rajasthan's Jat leader or possibly looking at a larger electoral prospect in 2026 or 2029—but also become an even larger figure in the future.
"He's too energetic and ambitious to retire," commented a senior BJP functionary off record. "This could be part of a larger game plan before the general elections."
Public Reactions: Polls and Social Media Buzz
The resignation has spawned a deluge of social media reactions. Hashtags #DhankharResigns and #VPResigns trended across platforms. A public poll by a national media house registered a divided response:
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42% believe the resignation could shift political dynamics.
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38% think it won’t change much.
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20% remain unsure.
The announcement also topped Today national news headlines and quickly climbed the charts of India breaking news now, joining the ranks of the 5 latest news of India today.
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