Jagdeep Dhankhar has abruptly resigned from the post of Vice President of India. On Monday evening, July 21, he submitted his resignation to the President, citing “deteriorating health” as the reason. However, while the move has been described as personal, its political implications run deep. Taken on the very first day of the Parliament session, this unexpected decision has surprised not only the opposition but also a section of the ruling party.
Although the official statement attributes his resignation to health reasons, political circles are abuzz with speculation about the timing and the sequence of events surrounding it. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh revealed that Dhankhar spoke with him over the phone at 7:30 PM on Monday while Ramesh was with his family. Dhankhar had said he would speak again the next day. Just a short while earlier, around 5 PM, Congress leaders Pramod Tiwari, Jairam Ramesh, and Akhilesh Prasad Singh had met Dhankhar in person. They later claimed that he appeared in good health and gave no indication of resigning. Instead, their conversation focused on the Business Advisory Committee meeting.
Another layer of intrigue has emerged around Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s office, where several closed-door meetings reportedly took place that evening. A BJP MP, speaking on the condition of anonymity, claimed, “A white paper was signed.” This cryptic statement has sparked further political controversy. However, it remains unclear whether Dhankhar was present at that meeting.
Sources further allege that before resigning, Dhankhar held a private meeting with several Union ministers, which lasted around 20–25 minutes. The timeline of events is significant. Around 2 PM on Monday, approximately 100 opposition MPs in the Lok Sabha signed a motion to initiate impeachment proceedings against Justice Virendra Kumar Verma. At 4:07 PM, Dhankhar acknowledged that a notice signed by 63 MPs had been submitted and formally accepted it, briefing all members on the procedural aspects. Later that evening, he also met with several opposition members. But by 7:50 PM—within an hour of those interactions—he tendered his resignation.
Throughout the day, Dhankhar’s demeanor reportedly showed no sign of physical ailment. Even during the parliamentary session, he did not display any visible symptoms of illness. This has led a section of the political establishment to question whether the resignation was purely for health reasons, or if it signals the beginning of a larger political shift.
Dhankhar had been actively serving as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. Many observers believe that his resignation cannot be dismissed as mere coincidence—especially when a grave constitutional process like impeachment is underway against a sitting judge.
According to analysts, several strategic decisions are expected to take shape before 2026, including matters related to the structure of the Rajya Sabha and the influence over law and the judiciary. In such a context, attributing Dhankhar’s resignation solely to health issues seems overly simplistic.
