New Delhi, Jul 21: The Congress on Monday expressed surprise at the sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, saying it is “totally unexpected” and there is far more to it than meets the eye.
“The sudden resignation of the vice president and chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable. I was with him alongside a number of other MPs till around 5 pm today and had spoken to him over the phone at 7:30 pm,” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said.
“No doubt Mr Dhankar has to give topmost priority to his health. But clearly there is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye. This is not the time for speculation though. Mr Dhankar took both the government and the opposition to task in equal measure. He had fixed a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee tomorrow at 1 PM. He was also to make some major announcements related to the judiciary tomorrow,” Ramesh said in a post on X.
In a sudden move, Vice President Dhankhar on Monday evening resigned from his post, citing medical reasons. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu he said he was stepping down with immediate effect.
“We wish him the best of health but also request him to reconsider his decision. We also expect the prime minister to get Mr Dhankar to change his mind. This will be in the nation’s interest. The farming community particularly will be greatly relieved,” Ramesh also said.
Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till 2027. He is also the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha and his resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. PTI
