Vice President Dhankhar's resignation shocks Parliament, fuels political speculation
What's the story
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation has taken political circles by surprise, particularly the Opposition. The resignation, which was cited as being due to health reasons, was announced without any prior indication of Dhankar's intentions. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh revealed he spoke with Dhankar two hours before the announcement and found him with his family, appearing to have no immediate concerns.
Impeachment motion
Did not mention health or resignation plans during address
Interestingly, Dhankhar had addressed the Rajya Sabha earlier in the day regarding a notice from 63 opposition MPs proposing the impeachment of Justice Verma. The motion was backed by over 100 MPs from various parties and was a key agenda item for the day. However, he did not mention his health or resignation plans during this address.
Political huddles
Impeachment motion likely to be moved in Rajya Sabha
The unexpected resignation has also triggered immediate strategic meetings among political leaders. Outside Defense Minister Rajnath Singh's office, BJP MPs were seen rushing in and out, fueling speculation of blank document signings, India Today reported. The Opposition parties believe the impeachment motion against Justice Verma would be moved in the Rajya Sabha first, given Dhankar's position as its Chairman and Vice President of India.
Controversial tenure legalized Canada's assisted dying law
Dhankar's tenure as VP marked by controversies
Dhankhar's tenure as Vice President has been marked by controversies, including allegations of bias from Opposition members. This led to a no-confidence motion against him, which was later withdrawn by the Deputy Chairman. After his resignation, the Congress-led Opposition is in disarray with plans for a meeting of floor leaders at 10am on Tuesday to decide their strategy following Dhankhar's exit.