Opposition parties have extended an invitation to former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for a farewell dinner, just days after his abrupt resignation from office, according to sources. The invitation is seen as an attempt to provide him with a dignified send-off after what many are calling a politically charged exit.
Dhankhar, who cited health reasons for stepping down, resigned amidst a flurry of political developments. At 74, he left office without the opportunity to deliver a farewell speech—an omission that has drawn sharp criticism from Opposition parties. They raised the matter during a meeting of the Rajya Sabha Working Advisory Committee, demanding that the former Vice President be granted the chance to make a formal farewell address.
To underline their protest, the Opposition has now planned a farewell dinner in his honour. However, sources indicate that it is unlikely Dhankhar will accept the invitation.
The series of events that led to his resignation began with a controversial decision made by Mr. Dhankhar in his role as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. On Monday, he accepted a motion from Opposition MPs seeking the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma, a High Court judge currently under investigation for alleged corruption. The motion followed the recovery of large amounts of cash from Justice Varma’s residence.
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The Centre had already prepared a similar motion to be introduced in the Lok Sabha and had secured the necessary signatures from Opposition MPs. The government reportedly intended to spearhead the removal proceedings in order to retain control of the narrative surrounding the issue. Dhankhar’s decision to admit the Opposition-led motion in the Rajya Sabha is believed to have preempted that plan.
According to government sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was immediately briefed on the situation. A high-level meeting with senior ministers followed the same evening. In response, government MPs were instructed to sign a counter-motion and to remain in Delhi over the next four days in preparation for further developments. Soon after Dhankhar was made aware of the government’s counterstrategy, he tendered his resignation.
In the wake of his resignation, the Election Commission on Friday appointed Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody as the returning officer for the upcoming vice presidential election. As per Article 68(2) of the Constitution, there is no specified deadline for holding a vice presidential election following a resignation. The Constitution only stipulates that the election must be held “as soon as possible.”
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