Days after Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resigned citing ‘health concerns’, political circles are abuzz with speculations over the real reason behind his sudden departure. There’s a growing chatter that his working style and bold statements had begun to ruffle feathers in the government.
Here’s what we know—and what may have really led to his abrupt exit.
Dhankhar exit: Reason 1) The Justice Varma Motion That Caught Everyone Off Guard
One of the key flashpoints was Dhankhar’s decision to accept a motion from Opposition MPs in the Rajya Sabha seeking the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma. While the government was still trying to build consensus to introduce a similar motion in the Lok Sabha, Dhankhar, as Chair of the Upper House, moved swiftly.
This move was seen by many in the BJP as jumping the gun. According to insiders, the government was “embarrassed” by the announcement and unhappy that he went ahead without consulting the Treasury benches.
Dhankhar exit: Reason 2) Skipped a planned meeting
Another incident that may have added fuel to the fire was a skipped meeting. Dhankhar had called for a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) session, but two senior ministers—JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju—didn’t turn up for the evening meeting.
Though officials said their absence was pre-informed, sources say Dhankhar wasn’t pleased. The meeting was rescheduled for the next afternoon. But by night, he had resigned—prompting speculation that the absence of key ministers and the overall lack of coordination may have been the last straw.
Dhankhar exit: Reason 3) His Ongoing Criticism of the Judiciary
This wasn’t the first time Dhankhar had made the government uncomfortable. He has repeatedly questioned the judiciary. Be it his time as West Bengal Governor to his stint as Vice President. Observers saw it as overreach where he even openly challenged the Supreme Court’s judgments.
While these statements often aligned with the broader political narrative, they also invited backlash and controversy. According to sources, the government was growing weary of the friction his comments were creating.
Dhankhar exit: Reason 4) Change in stand after no-confidence motion
Those who’ve followed Dhankhar’s journey closely say the shift began in late 2024.
In a historic first, the INDIA bloc moved a no-confidence motion against him in the Rajya Sabha, accusing him of being overtly partisan. While the motion didn’t pass, it seemed to have left a mark. After that, Dhankhar appeared to recalibrate his stance—striking a more independent tone, perhaps to rebuild some trust with the Opposition.
In doing so, he took several steps that visibly upset the government:
He publicly criticised the Centre’s handling of the farmers’ agitation, right in front of the Union Agriculture Minister.
He allowed a debate on Operation Sindoor—usually kept off the table under defence protocol.
He accepted the Opposition’s motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma, even as the government was still strategising its own move in the Lok Sabha.
He distanced himself from the government’s line on the impeachment case of Justice Shekhar Yadav.
He even met with senior leaders from Congress and AAP to build bridges. Some claim he openly expressed dissatisfaction with the government in these meetings and spoke about the “status of democracy.”
This change in behaviour reportedly worried the BJP leadership. Then came whispers of alleged irregularities—nothing confirmed, but enough, it seems, to convince Dhankhar to exit quietly, before things escalated.