Inside Story: What Led To Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's Shock Exit

An Opposition-sponsored motion to remove a judge after a massive cash recovery from his home set in motion the chain of events eventually leading to Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's shock resignation last night.

Amid the intrigue surrounding the Vice President's resignation, sources have told NDTV that a phone call from the Centre snowballed into a face-off, leaving the Vice President with little choice. The sources have also indicated that Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation, ostensibly on health grounds, may have saved him from the disgrace of a government-backed no-confidence motion.

At the centre of it all is an Opposition-backed notice for a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma, who hit the headlines after a massive cash recovery at his official residence. When Rajya Sabha met for the Monsoon Session yesterday, Opposition MPs moved the notice. Mr Dhankhar, Chairman of the Upper House, accepted the notice and asked the House's secretary general to take necessary steps.

This move, sources have said, did not sit well with the Centre. The Vice President's acceptance of the Opposition-backed notice robbed the government of the chance to lead the offensive against the judge and corruption in the judiciary.

According to sources, the Centre dialled the Vice President and flagged this. The Vice President responded with sharp remarks and the conversation soon turned into an argument. In the heat of the argument, the Vice President, sources have said, even cited the powers of his office.

Following the acrimonious phone call, rumblings began of a move to bring a no-confidence motion against Mr Dhankhar -- just six months after the Opposition brought such a motion against the Vice President. Mr Dhankhar, a veteran politician, got wind of this and opted to step down instead of being shown the door.

At 9.25 pm yesterday, the official X handle of the Vice President shared a resignation letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu.

"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution. I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency, the Honourable President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing, wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure," Mr Dhankhar wrote in the letter.

"I express my deep gratitude to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the esteemed Council of Ministers. Prime Minister's cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office. The warmth, trust, and affection I have received from all the Hon'ble Members of Parliament would ever be cherished at and embedded in my memory. I am deeply thankful for the invaluable experiences and insights I have gained as Vice President in our great democracy," he wrote.

The resignation sent shockwaves through the corridors of power, and multiple theories floated around. This morning, another shocker deepened the intrigue - sources say there may be no farewell speech by the Vice President, also on "health grounds". Senior Congress leaders described the development as "inexplicable" and a "riddle wrapped in mystery rolled in an enigma". The government has remained tight-lipped so far.

Opposition leaders have also flagged the absence of Union Ministers JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju at a 4.30 pm meeting of the business advisory committee and said this upset the Vice President. The Opposition also flagged Mr Nadda's remarks in the Rajya Sabha yesterday. "Only what I say will go on record," Mr Nadda, the Leader of the House, said during Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge's address. The remark, some said, disrespected the Chair, which alone has the authority to conduct House proceedings, and Mr Dhankhar was upset by this.

Mr Nadda today trashed these theories. "Kiren Rijiju and I could not attend the 4.30 pm meeting called by the Honourable Vice President because we were occupied with another important parliamentary engagement. Prior intimation regarding this was duly conveyed to the Vice President's office," he said. "Also, when I said in the Rajya Sabha that 'only what I say will go on record', it was directed at the interrupting opposition MPs -- not at the Chair," he said.

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge said only the Vice President or the government knows the reasons behind his shock resignation. "Only he knows the reason. We have nothing to say on this. Either the government knows or he knows. It is up to the government to accept his resignation or not," he told the media.

The 74-year-old Vice President had, just 10 days ago, said he would retire at the right time, August 2027, "subject to divine intervention".

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