Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation from the position of Vice President, reportedly citing health issues, has stirred mixed reactions among government and opposition factions. His handling of an opposition motion against Justice Yashwant Varma sparked a crisis that led to his swift exit. The political arena is now abuzz with discussions on his successor, as Dhankhar appears to be on his own following the contentious move.
NEW DELHI Update:
Just a few days after Dhankhar’s surprising decision to step down as Vice President due to health concerns, the political environment seems to have returned to normalcy. Amidst the ongoing debates between the government and the opposition on various matters, with the usual disruptions in parliamentary proceedings, there appears to be little sorrow over the absence of the former outspoken Rajya Sabha chairman.
The displeasure within government circles towards him for supporting opposition-backed motions for the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma has shifted towards the urgent matter of identifying his replacement as Vice President. Despite the opposition’s attempts to exploit the dramatic situation to embarrass the government, there seems to be no mourning over his sudden departure, leaving Dhankhar stranded in a political limbo.
During an informal gathering of INDIA bloc parties, Rahul Gandhi and other attendees reportedly confronted Dhankhar, accusing him of causing them distress during his three-year tenure due to his alleged bias. While they push for the revision of voter lists in Bihar, the former Vice President appears to be of little importance during the monsoon session of Parliament, relegating the resignation episode to a lower priority on their agenda, with only a few opposition members showing sympathy towards him.
Current Situation:
The NDA parties have maintained almost complete silence regarding Dhankhar’s imminent departure from the Vice President’s residence, with the exception of a brief post by PM Narendra Modi. Official efforts are underway to find a suitable residence for Dhankhar, after events leading up to his resignation indicated that he had no choice but to step down, as the BJP and its allies were gearing up to table a no-confidence motion against him the day after he accepted the notice against Justice Varma signed by 63 opposition MPs.
Sources reveal that Dhankhar’s acceptance of the opposition’s notice against Justice Varma, despite the government’s intentions to introduce the motion in the Lok Sabha with signatures from members of all parties, caused a stir among key members of the ruling coalition. This perceived ‘betrayal’ led them to rush to gather MP signatures at the office of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh to initiate a no-confidence motion against Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha the following day.
