VP Dhankhar Resigns: Speculations, Reactions All Around | Know Who Said What

Jagdeep Dhankhar's unexpected resignation as the Vice President of India on Monday prompted several speculations within the political sphere. The sudden decision has particularly raised many eyebrows in the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, which belived that there may be 'far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye'.

Expressing shock over the development, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, "In a highly shocking move, Mr. Jagdeep Dhankhar has resigned from his position. He cited health reasons for his resignation. We should respect this. However, the truth is that there are deeper reasons behind it."

Further urging PM Modi to persuade Dhankhar to reconsider his decision, Ramesh said, "This will be in the nation's interest. The farming community particularly will be greatly relieved."

"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." Ramesh posted on X.

What Did The Others Say?

Praising Dhankhar as a patriot, Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, "These were his good points. He is a nationalist and patriot. He wanted the opposition and the government to work together to enhance India's standing in the world."

"We have to accept that and move forward. Personally, I did not feel nice. I had very good ties with him. There was no ill-feeling. He used to speak his mind and not keep things in his heart. Though our ideologies did not match, he never used to keep things in his heart. When I wanted to have more time to speak in the Rajya Sabha, he used to give me more time," the former Union minister said.

Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar said the development is quite unexpected and "we don't know what the reasons are".

"I don't think that the president of India will accept it. This might be an initial reaction from his side. He might be dissatisfied with some developments," Kumar said.

On Dhankhar's resignation, AIMIM leader Waris Pathan said, "I saw that the Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar has submitted his resignation. He wrote to the President of India. He gave medical reasons for this. We can only pray that his health improves quickly."

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said, "The news of the vice president resigning due to health reasons is concerning. We sincerely pray for his well-being. However, a question arises, today marked the first day of the Monsoon session, and his resignation on the same day raises eyebrows."

Dhankhar Cites Health Issues

In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, the Vice-President, who recently underwent angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said he was stepping down with immediate effect to 'prioritise health care', as per PTI.

"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution", Dhankhar's letter read.

The seventy-four-year-old veteran politician assumed office in August 2022, and his tenure was till August 2027. With this move, Dhankhar becomes the third Vice-President in India’s history to resign before completing his term, after V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman.