Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar tendered his resignation on Tuesday evening, citing health reasons, in a move that has triggered political tremors in the capital. While his resignation letter stated the decision was to “prioritise health care and abide by medical advice”, sources indicate it followed a tense standoff with the Union government over a motion to remove High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma.
Prior to his resignation, Dhankhar, who also serves as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, accepted a motion filed by opposition MPs for the removal of Justice Varma. This reportedly took the Centre by surprise, as it had been preparing to introduce its own version of the motion in the Lok Sabha, with signatures from both ruling and opposition MPs.
Government sources revealed that they had not been informed of Dhankhar’s decision in advance. Following this development, a series of high-level meetings were convened, including one led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Senior ministers later gathered in the office of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and called in BJP Rajya Sabha MPs in groups to sign a significant motion, which remained undisclosed to the public, the NDTV reported.
MPs from other NDA parties were also approached for their signatures and instructed to stay in Delhi for the following four days. Later in the day, Dhankhar was reportedly informed of the motion and the MPs’ support for it.
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Soon after, senior ministers began briefing MPs about instances where Dhankhar allegedly “crossed the line” or caused embarrassment to the government. Before any further political action could unfold, Dhankhar dropped his resignation at 9:25 pm via the official X handle of the Vice President’s Secretariat.
In his letter to President Droupadi Murmu, he wrote, “I express my deep gratitude to the Honourable Prime Minister and the esteemed Council of Ministers. Prime Minister’s cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office.” He also said he was “honoured to have served in a transformative era” of Indian history.
Political Reactions and Opposition Demands for Clarity
President Murmu accepted Mr Dhankhar’s resignation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his wishes on X, writing, “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.”
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The Congress, however, raised questions over the abrupt nature of the resignation. Party leader Vivek Tankha remarked that “something happened in the afternoon,” noting that ministers skipped a scheduled meeting with the Vice President. “He might have felt insulted,” Tankha said. Senior leader KC Venugopal demanded a government explanation, calling for more transparency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a frequent critic of Dhankhar during his tenure as state governor, stated she had no extensive comment but noted that he appeared to be in good health.
