Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation on July 21 has sent ripples across the political spectrum, triggering speculation about the reasons behind his departure.
While Dhankhar cited health concerns in his resignation letter, opposition leaders and political observers have raised questions about underlying political dynamics.
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation: Let’s understand the chronology
1. Official statement by Jagdeep Dhankhar (Evening, July 21)
In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar wrote:
“To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution. I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency, the Honourable President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing, wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure. I express my deep gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the esteemed Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister’s cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office. The warmth, trust, and affection I have received from all the Hon’ble Members of Parliament would ever be cherished and embedded in my memory.”
The Vice President’s Office released the letter on X at 9:25 pm.
2. President Droupadi Murmu completes the formality
President Murmu accepted Dhankhar’s resignation. No public statement with personal remarks was immediately issued, but the official channels confirmed the acceptance of resignation as per constitutional protocol.
3. Opposition leaders chime in
Congress MP Jairam Ramesh wrote on X:
“The sudden resignation of the Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable. No doubt Mr Dhankhar has to give topmost priority to his health. But clearly there is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye. This is not the time for speculation though.”
Congress leader Imran Masood:
“We pray that the Almighty give him a long and healthy life. I am not able to understand the reason. What happened in just one hour that he had to resign?”
Congress MP Mallu Ravi:
“The resignation is an outcome of ‘political ill-health.’ Perhaps the BJP government wanted to appoint someone more useful in the current political landscape.”
Senior Congress figure P Chidambaram said:
“Dhankhar has resigned citing ‘medical reasons’, and wished him good health and a long life.”
4. A timeline that fuels speculation (July 21–22)
Jairam Ramesh highlighted that Dhankhar chaired the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha at 12:30 pm, attended by senior leaders, and was active throughout the day — showing no sign of health issues.
He called attention to the period between 1pm and 4:30pm as critical, with Dhankhar having scheduled meetings and plans for judicial announcements for the following day.
These events fuelled further speculation among opposition members.
5. What was the possible trigger
Reports point to friction over Dhankhar’s acceptance of an opposition-backed motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma, which was said to have run against the government’s broader strategy for addressing alleged judicial corruption.
This divergence is cited as a possible catalyst for the resignation, with suggestions that Dhankhar acted independently and may have sought to avoid a no-confidence motion rumoured within government circles.
Some reports trace back to engagement with foreign leaders, including his Iran visit and US Vice President JD Vance’s India visit. In Iran, Dhankhar reportedly complained about not getting arrangements befitting his stature, with the Indian embassy saying that these matters were taken care of by the host nation. On Vance’s India visit, Dharkhar reportedly expressed his displeasure for not scheduling a meeting with Donald Trump’s deputy.
6. What commentators observed
Numerous political commentators and media outlets noted the surprise of Dhankhar’s resignation on the very first day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session, especially since only 12 days earlier he had publicly said:
“I will retire at the right time, August 2027, subject to divine intervention.”
The short time between a Vice President’s Secretariat press release on planned official travel (issued at 3:53pm) and the evening resignation has also been noted as unusual.
7. Official silence in government response
There have been no detailed personal statements from Prime Minister Modi, BJP leadership, or other senior ministers about the resignation, aside from generic expressions of gratitude included in the official correspondence.
Modi posted on X about Dhankhar having got the “opportunity” to serve in various capacities. It was interpreted as a cold message from the prime minister known for his eloquence.
In a nutshell
- Jagdeep Dhankhar’s official reason for resignation is ill health, conveyed in a formal letter to the President.
- Opposition leaders have widely expressed scepticism, suggesting deeper political factors at play and calling the resignation abrupt and unexplained.
- Reports and political speculation centre on tensions over Dhankhar’s handling of a judicial removal motion.
- The government response has so far remained measured and official, without any detailed public explanation.
