Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation on July 21, citing health reasons, has sparked sharp reactions from the Congress party. Several Congress leaders have questioned the timing and circumstances of the resignation, suggesting that there may be more to the story than just health concerns.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the resignation might reflect “far deeper reasons” and added that Dhankhar’s move “speaks highly of him, but poorly of those who had got him elected.” He said Dhankhar had often spoken up against “arrogance in public life” and took strong positions on farmers’ issues and judicial accountability. “To the extent possible under the current G2 ruling regime, he tried to accommodate the Opposition,” Ramesh said, praising Dhankhar for upholding parliamentary norms and protocol.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi called the resignation “sudden and shocking,” and wished Dhankhar good health. However, he asked whether the government had any prior knowledge and if a smooth transition plan was in place. “The absence of senior ministers yesterday at a meeting chaired by the Hon’ble Vice President now carries even more significance,” he said, referring to a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting on Monday.
Ramesh elaborated on this point, saying Dhankhar chaired the BAC meeting at 12:30 pm on Monday, attended by BJP leaders JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju. But when the BAC reconvened at 4:30 pm, neither minister showed up, and Dhankhar was not even informed. Ramesh suggested that “something very serious” happened between 1 pm and 4:30 pm, leading to Dhankhar taking offence and rescheduling the meeting for the next day. “This was not a normal resignation,” he claimed.
While BJP chief JP Nadda later said the Vice President’s office was informed about his and Rijiju’s absence from the second BAC meeting, the Congress has remained unconvinced. MP Vivek Tankha noted that Dhankhar appeared cheerful while presiding over the Rajya Sabha the same day and wondered if his firm handling of two impeachment motions against judges might have played a role.
Dhankhar, 74, had recently undergone angioplasty at AIIMS, and his resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. His term was set to end in 2027. He also served as the Rajya Sabha Chairman and had frequent confrontations with the Opposition. Earlier this year, a historic impeachment motion seeking his removal was filed — the first against a Vice President in independent India — but it was later rejected.
Following his resignation, the Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request Dhankhar to reconsider. Meanwhile, as per Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to choose the next Vice President must be held “as soon as possible.”
