Centre knows reason, should explain: Cong, Oppn raise eyebrows on Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation

Vice-President's sudden resignation sparks row

The sudden resignation of India’s Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar on health grounds on Monday night has sent shockwaves through the political corridors in Delhi, with leaders across party lines expressing concern for his well-being while raising questions about the circumstances surrounding his decision. 

Congress demands explanation

Congress on Tuesday said that only the Central government and Dhankhar know the real reason behind the latter’s resignation and demanded an explanation from the government over the same. 

Dhankhar, who served as the 14th Vice-President of India since August 2022, stepped down on July 21 – the very first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

His departure has not only surprised everyone, but has also provided fresh ammunition to the Opposition, many of whom see the move as politically loaded.

Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge told reporters, “We have nothing to do with the reasons behind it. The government knows. We have no intention to comment on it because it is their decision; whether to accept it or not is entirely up to the government. We have nothing to do with it.”

Congress MP and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi questioned why the Centre did not issue any statement following the sudden resignation.

Speaking to a news agency, Gogoi said, “I pray for the good health of the Vice-President. However, the way this all happened makes it clear that the Centre did not have any idea about this. What all changed between the Centre and the Vice-President? Yesterday, the Union Ministers did not attend the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting, and today also, there is no statement from the Prime Minister.”

“What changed in the relationship between the Centre and the Vice-President that no coordination is being seen between the two. What will happen next? No one is clear about it. That is why we want an explanation from the government,” he added.

Congress MP Imran Masood said, “His resignation raises serious questions. He was active throughout the day, attending all scheduled events, and suddenly resigned in the evening. This doesn’t appear to be about health. There’s something more to it.”

Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh termed the move “shocking and unfortunate” for the Upper House and Indian politics.

“He looked completely fine when I met him just yesterday. He presided over the House efficiently. I don’t know what’s going on, but this doesn’t add up,” Singh said.

All eyes on BJP

Independent MP from Purnia Pappu Yadav launched a direct attack on the BJP, accusing the party of pushing Dhankhar to the edge.

“The BJP doesn’t care about the Constitution or democratic values. Dhankharji conducted himself impartially, and that didn’t sit well with many in power,” he alleged.

Referring to BJP chief JP Nadda’s “Nothing will go on record; only what I say will go on record; you should know that” remark during the Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge’s speech, Yadav said, “That insult to the Chair hurt him deeply. This has nothing to do with his health.”

Some believed the issue to be about the impeachment notice against Justice Yashwant Varma, submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.   

Those seeking impeachment of the judge – facing heat over alleged recovery of cash at his Delhi home in March – included signatories like Rahul Gandhi, Anurag Thakur, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, P P Chaudhary, Supriya Sule and K C Venugopal.

Dhankhar accepted the motion and forwarded it to the secretary general of the house.

According to sources, the acceptance of the Opposition-led notice did not sit well with the Centre, with Dhankar reportedly receiving a phone call over the issue. Sources also pointed out that a  no-confidence motion was likely in the scenario of Dhankar not resigning, which may have pushed the V-P to quit late at night.

Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav, however, took a cautious stance, stating, “He resigned citing health reasons, and I have nothing more to add. I can’t read between the lines.”

Senior Congress leader Udit Raj said that he prays for Dhankhar’s long and healthy life but questioned the timing.

“Why now? Why on the first day of such a crucial session? The Prime Minister must intervene and ask him to reconsider,” he told the news agency.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat also praised Dhankhar’s tenure, calling it “praiseworthy”, but added, “In politics, nothing is truly unexpected; it’s always well-planned. In the BJP, decisions are taken by only two people – it’s not a democratic setup.”

Dhankhar’s office run

On July 16, 2022, the BJP announced Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for Vice-President. In the Vice-Presidential election held on August 6, 2022, Dhankhar defeated opposition candidate Margaret Alva with 528 out of 710 valid votes, securing 74.37% – the highest margin of victory since 1992.

As Vice-President, Dhankhar also served as the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where he presided over several key legislative sessions. Known for his strict adherence to parliamentary rules and no-nonsense approach, he was both respected and contested in equal measure across party lines.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)