Dhankhar Accepting Opposition’s Impeachment Notice on Justice Varma Rubbed the Government the Wrong Way

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Jagdeep Dhankhar’s acceptance of an Opposition-backed notice to impeach Justice Yashwant Varma reportedly triggered tensions with the government and is believed to have contributed to his sudden resignation as Vice President.

Sources familiar with the development indicated that the government had intended to initiate the impeachment motion in the Lok Sabha first. However, Dhankhar, in his capacity as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, accepted the Opposition’s notice (signed by over 50 MPs) without prior consultation with the ruling party.

This unexpected move disrupted the government’s strategy and led to a hasty effort to collect signatures from NDA MPs to file a counter motion. Dhankhar’s announcement in the Upper House around 4:05 PM reportedly caught the government off guard and created confusion within senior leadership.

Key BJP figures, including Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, were notably absent from a scheduled Business Advisory Committee meeting later that day, signaling internal discontent with Dhankhar’s unilateral action.

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh confirmed that these developments and the perceived slight contributed to Dhankhar’s decision to resign. According to parliamentary sources, the Vice President felt undermined and disrespected by the lack of communication and support.

A senior NDA official stated that the government was “taken by surprise” when Dhankhar moved forward independently, affecting their planned narrative control over the judiciary-related proceedings. The lack of alignment between the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the executive branch has raised broader concerns about internal coordination.

Later that evening, Dhankhar tendered his resignation, citing health reasons in a letter addressed to the President. Although health was cited officially, multiple sources have linked the move to the political fallout from the impeachment notice episode.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged Dhankhar’s resignation the following day, thanking him for his service. No further official statements have been made.