Resignation of Dhankhar as VP sparks political speculation

In a move that has stunned political observers across the country, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar tendered his resignation on Monday night, citing health concerns as the reason. The resignation came on the day when Monsoon session of Parliament had started. Scheduled to attend an event in Jaipur later this week, his sudden exit has triggered a political storm, with speculation rife over the reasons behind the unexpected decision as per political analysts who are not able to accept this political development and are considering it as more than meets the eyes kind of case.

Dhankhar, 74, stepped down due to medical advice, several within political circles are skeptical. As a senior constitutional authority, any resignation from the Vice Presidency is rare and abrupt resignations even rarer. His presence in Parliament on Monday, where he seemed "fit as a fiddle," has only added to the mystery.

A political life marked by shifts and surprises

Jagdeep Dhankhar, born on May 18, 1951, in Jhunjhunu district in Rajasthan, comes from the Jat community which is a politically significant group in north India. His long and varied political career spans multiple parties and ideological shifts. He first entered Parliament in 1989 on a Janata Dal ticket during the VP Singh wave, defeating Congress’s Mohd. Ayub Khan in the Jhunjhunu Lok Sabha constituency.

When the VP Singh government fell, Dhankhar found a place in the Chandra Shekhar cabinet as a Union Minister, thanks to the short-lived coalition backed externally by Rajiv Gandhi’s Congress. In 1991, Dhankhar formally joined the Congress and contested from Ajmer but lost to BJP’s Rasa Singh Rawat. He then moved to state politics, winning the Kishangarh assembly seat in 1993 as a Congress candidate.

In 1998, he again contested from Jhunjhunu, but the political tides had shifted. Not only was he defeated, but he also slipped to third place behind Sis Ram Ola (then with All India Indira Congress - Secular) and BJP’s Madan Lal Saini.

After a brief political hibernation, Dhankhar joined the BJP in 2003, though he remained away from direct electoral contests. His political rebirth came in 2019 when the Modi government appointed him Governor of West Bengal a high-profile and often controversial role during a politically charged tenure. His elevation to the Vice Presidency in 2022 marked the peak of a winding and often unpredictable political journey.

What’s behind the curtain?

While the health reasons cited may be genuine, the timing has raised eyebrows. His resignation comes just months ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections and amid whispers about a possible reshuffle within the BJP , including the election of a new party president.

The Road Ahead

According to Article 66 of the Constitution, the election to fill the vacancy must take place within six months. Until then, the Rajya Sabha will be presided over by the Deputy Chairman, and the constitutional machinery will continue to function without disruption. But the political undercurrents are unlikely to settle any time soon. Notably Harivansh is the current deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha.