Rumours Are Rife About What Led to BJP's Disillusionment With Dhankar, the Hottest Being His increasing Proximity with Opposition

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In a move that has sent shockwaves through political circles, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar tendered his resignation late Monday evening, citing health reasons. The resignation announced on X handle of the Vice President, comes nearly two years ahead of the end of his term, raising significant speculation about the real reasons behind his abrupt departure.

President Droupadi Murmu formally accepted the resignation on July 22, bringing an end to Dhankhar’s tenure as the 14th Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. While his resignation letter emphasized medical advice and the prioritization of his health, political observers and Opposition leaders believe there is more than meets the eye.

At the heart of the speculation lies Dhankhar’s recent decision to accept an Opposition-backed motion to initiate removal proceedings against Justice Yashwant Varma. The judge had attracted national attention after large amounts of cash were recovered from his residence. According to sources quoted by NDTV, the Modi government wanted to take the lead on Justice Yashwant Varma's impeachment by bringing the motion first in the Lok Sabha, but Dhankhar’s decision to accept the Opposition-backed motion first put the government on the back foot. This did not sit well with the BJP high command. Multiple Union ministers had met Dhankhar prior to the Monsoon Session, reportedly requesting that the Rajya Sabha hold off on any motion against Justice Varma, but Vice President Dhankhar went unilateral and accepted the impeachment motion by the Opposition parties.

Following his acceptance of the motion, sources indicate that the BJP began preparing a no-confidence motion against Dhankhar, which would have been the second such motion against him in less than a year. Previously, in December 2024, a no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition against Dhankhar was rejected.

On July 21, Dhankhar made an unscheduled visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan. His resignation letter was released shortly afterward. The Prime Minister acknowledged his resignation in a brief statement posted on social media, wishing him good health and noting his service in various roles.

Dhankhar was elected as Vice President in 2022. Prior to that, he served as the Governor of West Bengal and was a senior advocate in the Supreme Court. During his vice-presidential term, Dhankhar made several procedural decisions in the Rajya Sabha that had drawn political attention. In recent months, he had met with senior leaders from the Opposition, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal. These meetings were documented through official social media posts.

In the days leading up to the Monsoon Session, BJP leaders, including JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju, were scheduled to attend a Business Advisory Committee meeting chaired by Dhankhar. They did not attend, citing prior communication to his office about their unavailability.

Dhankhar had previously made requests for enhanced protocol privileges, including parity with the President in terms of transport and staff. His position had also attracted attention during discussions on issues such as population control, judicial reforms, and religious conversion.

Following his resignation, Dhankhar vacated the Vice President’s official residence. As per protocol, he will be allotted a Type VIII bungalow in Lutyens’ Delhi—accommodations typically assigned to senior Union ministers or heads of national political parties.

The government has maintained that the resignation was solely due to health reasons. Opposition leaders have questioned the timing of the resignation and have called for greater transparency.

This development concludes Dhankhar’s term as Vice President and makes him only the third Vice President in India’s history to resign before completing his term, following V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman—both of whom stepped down to contest the presidency. [Rh/VP]

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