Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar steps down citing health reasons; Congress says 'Far more than meets the eye'

New Delhi: Jagdeep Dhankhar has resigned from the post of Vice President of India with immediate effect citing health reasons.

In a letter posted on the Vice-President of India's X handle and addressed to the President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said, "To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution".

Dhankhar said, "As I leave this esteemed office, I am filled with pride in Bharat's global rise and phenomenal achievements and hold unwavering confidence in her brilliant future".

Dhankhar in his letter expressed his gratitude to the President, for the "unwavering support and the soothing, wonderful working relationship" he shared with her.

He also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Council of Ministers for their "cooperation and support".

He said, "The warmth, trust and affection I have received from all the Hon'ble Members of Parliament would ever be cherished and embedded in my memory".

He said it was a matter of privilege and satisfaction for him to witness and partake in India's remarkable economic progress and unprecedented exponential development during the significant period. "Serving in this transformative era of our nation's history has been a true honour," Dhankhar said.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described the resignation of Dhankhar as both “shocking” and “unexpected,” though he acknowledged that VP's health should be his top priority and urged against speculation at this time.

Taking to X, the Congress MP wrote, “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. 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." (With inputs from UNI)