Incident Details: On July 21, 2025, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was the Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, suddenly resigned from his post. In his resignation letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, he said that he was taking this step due to health issues and medical advice. The announcement was made on his official Twitter account at 9:25 pm on the first day of the monsoon session, which surprised not only government circles but also the opposition. In his letter, Dhankhar thanked the President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Council of Ministers, and members of Parliament for the support and love he had received. He wrote: “In order to prioritize health and follow medical advice, I resign from the office of Vice President of India with immediate effect under Article 67(A) of the Constitution.” But the resignation raised several questions. Was it really a matter of health, or was there some political bitterness behind it? Reasons for resignation: A phone call and political tension: According to a report by News18, the main reason for Dhankhar's resignation was a senior minister on the first day of the monsoon session. The heated phone conversation with the Chief Minister was over the decision to accept the impeachment notice filed by the opposition against Justice Yashwant Verma, which was signed by more than 65 opposition MPs. The reason for the notice was the recovery of a large amount of cash from Justice Verma's official residence. Dhankhar, exercising his constitutional powers as Chairman Rajya Sabha, accepted the notice and directed the Secretary General to take necessary steps. But according to sources, the decision did not go down well with the central government, as it was preparing to launch a major campaign against corruption in the judiciary itself. Dhankhar's move seemed to be a setback to the government's plans. The absence of BJP President JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju from the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting called by Dhankhar at 4:30 pm that same evening further heightened the tension. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that Dhankhar was not informed in advance about his absence, which he considered an insult. Ramesh wrote on the X: “Something serious The incidents took place between 1 pm and 4:30 pm, due to which Nadda and Rijiju decided to deliberately stay away from the meeting. Nadda later clarified that he and Rijiju were busy with other important parliamentary work and had informed the Vice President’s office in advance. But this explanation could not defuse the tension. Growing closeness to the opposition: Dhankhar’s growing closeness to opposition leaders was also under discussion before his resignation. On July 15, the Vice President’s office posted a 44-second video of his meeting with Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, on X. Similarly, a day before the monsoon session, Dhankhar met Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal at his residence, even though Kejriwal is not a Rajya Sabha member. According to media reports, during these meetings, Dhankhar also whispered criticism of the Narendra Modi government’s policies, which was completely different from the situation in 2024. At that time, the opposition had presented an impeachment notice against Dhankhar, accusing him of bias and threatening to remove him from the post of chairman. But in March 2025, Later, Dhankhar tried to improve relations with the opposition, especially meeting Congress's Kharge, Jairam Ramesh, and Pramod Tiwari to refute allegations of favoritism. Jairam Ramesh said after his resignation: "Dhankhar's sudden resignation is surprising and incomprehensible. I was with him till 5 pm and spoke to him on the phone at 7:30 pm. He did not mention any health or resignation. There are some deeper reasons behind it." Political controversies and criticism of the judiciary: Dhankhar was also known for his criticism of the judiciary during his tenure. He strongly objected to the Supreme Court's decision that set a timeline for the President and governors to sign state bills. He said: “We have judges who will legislate, perform administrative duties, and act as a super parliament, but there is no accountability on them because the law does not apply to them.” His statement highlighted the tension between the judiciary and parliament, and some quarters believe that it has weakened their position in government circles. Health or political Pressure?: Although Dhankhar cited health as the reason for his resignation, his recent programmes raise questions on this claim. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in March 2025 due to a heart ailment, and collapsed during a function in Nainital in June. But on July 21, he was presiding over the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha and meeting MPs till evening. Moreover, his office had announced a visit to Jaipur on the same day, which was to take place on July 23. Opposition leader Jairam Ramesh and others claimed that political pressure was more than health behind the resignation. They appealed to the Prime Minister to persuade Dhankhar to withdraw his resignation. CPI MP P Sandesh Kumar said: “This is unexpected. We do not know what the real reasons are. Perhaps he was upset with some political developments.” Political implications and future: Dhankhar’s resignation has triggered a fresh race for the vice-president’s post. Under Article 67 of the Constitution, Deputy Chairman Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh will for the time being handle the day-to-day business till A new vice president may not be elected. Some sources indicated that a strategy is being hatched to make Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the vice president to maintain political balance before the Bihar elections. Dhankhar’s resignation also shocked the BJP leadership. An ex-post said: “Even 12 hours after Dhankhar’s resignation, there was no post from Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, or JP Nadda. This shows that the resignation took place under extraordinary circumstances.” However, on July 22, President Droupadi Murmu accepted Dhankhar’s resignation, and Prime Minister Modi prayed for his good health. Conclusion: Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation is a story that begins with health claims but is wrapped in layers of political acrimony, disputes with the judiciary, and growing closeness to the opposition. A phone call, the absence of senior ministers at an important meeting, and a controversial decision gave the story an unexpected twist. As Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said: “Dhankhar’s resignation enhances his prestige, but it reveals the failure of those who appointed him to this position.” "The incident not only reveals the complexities of India's political structure but also highlights the supremacy of Parliament, the role of the judiciary, and the fragility of political relations. Now that Dhankhar has left the Rajya Sabha chair, the eyes of political circles are focused on the selection of the new Vice President and its political implications. Source: The Hindu: India Today: New 18: Indian Express: Times of India: X-Posts: