Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation, officially citing health reasons, has sent shockwaves through the political landscape and raised serious questions about what truly transpired behind the scenes. The timing, just hours after high-level meetings and a major development in the Rajya Sabha, has led many to suspect that his departure was triggered by more than personal health issues.
Despite the official explanation, Dhankhar showed no visible signs of illness or intent to step down during a day filled with critical parliamentary engagements. Notably:
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He met with senior Congress leaders—Jairam Ramesh, Pramod Tiwari, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh—between 5 and 6 pm on Monday. All three later confirmed that Dhankhar appeared to be in good health and spoke confidently about upcoming meetings, including a Business Advisory Committee session scheduled for the next morning.
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Jairam Ramesh said he even spoke with Dhankhar by phone just two hours before the resignation, during which Dhankhar was with family and made no mention of any impending departure.
Adding intrigue is Dhankhar’s last public act as Rajya Sabha Chairman earlier in the day, where he addressed a rare impeachment motion against Justice Yashwant Varma, backed by over 100 MPs. He outlined the procedural roadmap, discussed it with Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and proposed a joint committee, again showing no signs of personal withdrawal or urgency.
But by the end of the day, the Vice President had resigned—without warning, without farewell, and without any public acknowledgment of health concerns. His decision has therefore triggered widespread speculation of political or procedural pressure.
Suspicion deepened after:
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The absence of JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju from the second BAC meeting on Monday evening—an absence that Dhankhar reportedly took serious exception to.
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Reports that BJP MPs were seen entering and exiting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s office in haste, signing what were described by some as “blank documents,” though this remains unconfirmed.
This sequence has led many to wonder whether Dhankhar’s resignation was either forced or the result of a serious breach of protocol or trust.
The Opposition’s impeachment strategy may also have played a role. Dhankhar’s position as both Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman made him pivotal to the process. The Opposition expected the Rajya Sabha to lead the impeachment proceedings, and his presence could have significantly shaped outcomes. His sudden exit may have disrupted or derailed that strategy—raising questions about whether this was a calculated political maneuver.
Dhankhar’s tenure was marked by frequent clashes with the Opposition, including a no-confidence motion that was later dismissed. Though controversial, he was active and assertive in parliamentary proceedings. His resignation now leaves a leadership vacuum in the Rajya Sabha at a critical political juncture.
The INDIA bloc is meeting at 10 am Tuesday to decide how to respond to these events. Their next steps may include pressing for clarity on Dhankhar’s resignation, recalibrating their impeachment strategy, and potentially demanding a parliamentary inquiry into the circumstances.
In sum, Dhankhar’s departure has opened a Pandora’s box of questions, where the official reason (health) appears increasingly disconnected from the day’s realities. Whether it was an act of personal protest, political pressure, or institutional breakdown, the truth behind this exit is likely to dominate political discourse in the days ahead.
