Congress says ‘far deeper reasons’ behind Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation

By Admin

22 Jul, 2025

In a surprising political development, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on July 21, 2025, citing health concerns. While the official reason given was medical Mr. Dhankhar recently underwent angioplasty at AIIMS the Congress has raised serious questions about the true circumstances surrounding his sudden departure, suggesting that “far deeper reasons” lie behind his decision.

A Resignation That Shocked the Political Spectrum

Jagdeep Dhankhar, who assumed office as Vice-President in August 2022, tendered his resignation on the very first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. He submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu with immediate effect, leaving both the government and opposition stunned. His departure came just hours after he had chaired a key meeting of the Rajya Sabha's Business Advisory Committee (BAC).

Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, took to social media to voice the party’s suspicions. “The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable,” he wrote, adding that he had spoken to Mr. Dhankhar at 7:30 PM on the day of his resignation. “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.”

Controversy Surrounding the Business Advisory Committee Meeting

A key point raised by the Congress concerns the sequence of events leading up to Mr. Dhankhar’s resignation. According to Jairam Ramesh, Mr. Dhankhar chaired a BAC meeting at 12:30 p.m. on July 21, which was attended by Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, among others. A follow-up meeting was scheduled for 4:30 p.m. the same day.

However, when the BAC reconvened in the afternoon, both Nadda and Rijiju failed to attend. Crucially, Mr. Dhankhar was reportedly not personally informed about their absence. “Rightly he took umbrage and rescheduled the BAC for today at 1 p.m.,” said Ramesh.

“So something very serious happened yesterday between 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to account for the deliberate absence of Shri Nadda and Shri Rijiju,” he added, hinting at behind-the-scenes developments that may have influenced Mr. Dhankhar's decision to step down.

A Man of Principles, At Odds With the System?

Ramesh praised Mr. Dhankhar for being a principled figure who, despite his association with the post-2014 political order, often spoke candidly about the welfare of farmers, judicial accountability, and arrogance in public life. He noted that Dhankhar was a stickler for propriety and protocol qualities that were increasingly at odds with what he described as the "G2 ruling regime."

“In his role, he tried to accommodate the Opposition to the extent possible. His resignation speaks highly of him. It also speaks poorly of those who got him elected in the first instance,” Ramesh stated.

Calls for Reconsideration and Prime Minister’s Intervention

The Congress party has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convince Mr. Dhankhar to reconsider his decision for the greater good of the nation. “We wish him the best of health but also request him to reconsider his decision. The farming community, in particular, will be greatly relieved if Mr. Dhankhar changes his mind,” Ramesh said.

Interestingly, Dhankhar was scheduled to make major announcements regarding the judiciary on the day following his resignation an indication that he still had an active role to play in legislative affairs.

A Controversial Tenure Ends Abruptly

Mr. Dhankhar’s tenure as Vice-President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha has been marked by several confrontations with the Opposition. At one point, the Opposition even moved an impeachment motion against him the first of its kind in independent India though it was eventually rejected by Deputy Chairman Harivansh.

His resignation now triggers the process for electing a new Vice-President, a task the Constitution mandates be undertaken as soon as possible.

Conclusion

While the nation awaits clarity, the sudden exit of Jagdeep Dhankhar continues to raise eyebrows. Though medical reasons have been cited, the Congress’s insistence on "far deeper reasons" suggests a larger political narrative is unfolding behind closed doors. As the dust settles, all eyes will be on the corridors of power to understand what truly transpired in the crucial hours before his resignation.