Why Did Dhankhar Lose the Modi Government’s Trust?

Krishnamohan Jha

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation on the very first day of the Parliament’s Monsoon Session has sent shockwaves through political circles. As Vice President, he also served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, and he even presided over the House’s proceedings that morning. But by evening, citing health reasons, he announced his resignation.

Dhankhar has now become the first Vice President in independent India’s history to resign during an ongoing Parliament session. While he cited health issues as the reason, many believe there’s more to the story—perhaps a deeper political script playing out behind the scenes.

Silence from the Ruling Party, Sympathy from the Opposition
If health concerns were indeed the reason, why didn’t Dhankhar resign before the session began? And if his condition was truly serious, how was he able to chair the session that morning with apparent ease?

What raised further eyebrows was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s farewell message on X (formerly Twitter), which simply wished Dhankhar good health, but noticeably lacked any praise for his service—something customary in such high-profile exits. Moreover, no senior minister from the ruling party attempted to persuade him to reconsider or even publicly expressed regret over his decision.

Adding to the intrigue, the Congress party—once critical enough to move an impeachment motion against Dhankhar—has now shown unexpected sympathy. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh commented that there must be a reason beyond health behind the resignation.

Did Everything Unravel on Day One of the Session?
Some observers believe the tipping point may have been Dhankhar’s decision to accept a motion in the Rajya Sabha to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma, filed by 63 opposition MPs. This was reportedly not well received by the ruling party. Justice Varma’s name had previously surfaced in connection with the seizure of large sums of cash from his residence.

Another flashpoint may have been allowing Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to launch a prolonged attack on the government in the House. During Kharge’s speech, Union Minister JP Nadda interrupted, stating that “nothing you say is being recorded”—a power usually reserved for the Chair. This could have been perceived as undermining Dhankhar’s authority.

Later that evening, Dhankhar called a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee. The conspicuous absence of both JP Nadda and Kiren Rijiju suggested that the script for Dhankhar’s exit had already been written.

Was Growing Closeness with the Opposition the Final Straw?
In recent weeks, Dhankhar had made statements and taken a tone that appeared more conciliatory toward the opposition, including the Congress. His attempt to maintain autonomy and impartiality in his constitutional role may not have aligned with the expectations of the ruling party.

From his confrontations with the Mamata Banerjee government as West Bengal Governor to taking bold decisions as Vice President, Dhankhar never shied away from controversy. That independence may ultimately have been the reason the Modi government began to lose trust in him.

Whatever the official explanation, the sequence of events strongly suggests political discomfort rather than just a health crisis. His recent decisions and independent stance likely clashed with the political calculus of the ruling establishment.

Now that Dhankhar has stepped down, the spotlight turns to who will be chosen as the next Vice President—and whether that individual will align more closely with the Centre’s expectations.