Before his surprise resignation, former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar made an "unscheduled visit" to the Rashtrapati Bhavan late on Monday evening, official sources said.
Dhankhar met President Murmu around 9 pm on Monday and handed over his resignation to her. Half an hour later, he made his resignation letter public on X, they said.
"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution," Dhankhar said in his letter.
Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his term would have ended in August 2027. The resignation of Dhankhar, who was also the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, saying, "Jagdeep Dhankhar has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health."
Meanwhile, the Congress sought an explanation from the government after Dhankhar resigned unexpectedly, citing health reasons. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh said there were “far deeper reasons” behind the move, while the party’s deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, asked the Centre to clarify if it had prior knowledge of the resignation.
Several other Opposition leaders also expressed surprise and scepticism over the abrupt move, with some suggesting there may be more to the decision than meets the eye.