(Image source from: Twitter.com/VPIndia)
Jagdeep Dhankhar leaving his job as Vice President unexpectedly on Monday night has started the search for someone new. The political group in charge, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has many members in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but they were surprised by Dhankhar's choice to quit. They will probably think about who could take his place in the next few days. The BJP has many good leaders to choose from, like a governor, since Dhankhar used to be the governor of West Bengal, a leader with lots of experience, or a Union minister. Dhankhar's replacement, M Venkaiah Naidu, used to be in charge of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and he was part of Narendra Modi's group of leaders when the party chose him for this important government job in 2017.
"We are still figuring out what to do. But, I hope the party will choose someone who is dependable and doesn't cause problems," said a BJP person, suggesting that a party member with lots of experience might be the best choice. Harivansh, who helps lead the Rajya Sabha and is part of the Janata Dal (United) party, is also being considered because he has been working since 2020 and the government trusts him. Dhankhar's three years in the job had many disagreements with other parties in the Rajya Sabha, and his strong opinions on important issues sometimes bothered the government.
Jagdeep Dhankhar suddenly decided to leave his job on Monday night, saying he had health problems. He has given his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, saying he is quitting right away. "To take care of my health and listen to what doctors say, I am quitting as Vice President of India now, as stated in Article 67(a) of the Constitution," Dhankhar said in his letter to the president.
Dhankhar, who is 74 years old, started his job in August 2022, and it was supposed to last until 2027. He was also in charge of the Rajya Sabha, and he quit on the first day of the Parliament's Monsoon session. His sudden leaving happened after a day of surprises in the Rajya Sabha for the government, like when the opposition parties wanted to remove Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma, which he mentioned in the House. This was a shock to the group in charge, which had made a similar request in the Lok Sabha and included the opposition in the process. Dhankhar was the NDA's choice in the 2022 vice presidential election, where he was also the head of the Rajya Sabha because of his position.
