Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar good health after he stepped down from office. The message came a day after Dhankhar’s sudden resignation from the second-highest constitutional post in the country.
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who had been serving as the 14th Vice President of India since August 2022, tendered his resignation on July 21, the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon Session 2025, citing health concerns.
“Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health,” the PM posted.
This post comes at a time when the opposition is raising questions about Dhankhar’s sudden resignation.
Dhankhar’s Term As Vice President
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Jagdeep Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Vice President position on July 16, 2022. Following this, in the Vice Presidential election held on August 6, 2022, he registered a landslide victory against the opposition candidate Margaret Alva with 528 out of 710 valid votes, securing 74.37 percent. It was the highest margin of victory since 1992.
Jagdeep Dhankhar also served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and presided over several key legislative sessions.
Dhankhar is known for his strict adherence to parliamentary rules and no-nonsense approach, and is a seasoned politician and constitutional expert.
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s Resignation
Former Vice President Dhankhar sent his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, citing health concerns. In his letter, he invoked Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution, which provides for the resignation of the VP.
Previously, he was hospitalised multiple times over the past year, most recently in Nainital. The exact nature of his illness is not known.
BJP vs Congress
The BJP on Tuesday responded to Congress’s charge of ‘far deeper reasons’ behind Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation and reminded them of the time when the Opposition brought a motion to remove him, alleging bias and partisan conduct.
Congress had quickly claimed that the health reasons cited by the former VP in his resignation letter were not enough. Responding to this, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey reportedly said the grand old party should refrain from giving political spin to Dhankhar’s resignation.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh described Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation as ‘shocking and inexplicable’.
