Why is Congress mourning Dhankhar’s resignation after trying to oust him?

New Delhi: The abrupt resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday has thrown the political establishment into a state of speculation, confusion, and, somewhat ironically, mourning from quarters that only recently sought his removal.

Dhankhar, who cited health reasons for stepping down with immediate effect, leaves office less than halfway through his term.

His exit has prompted a wave of reactions from the Congress, which until a few months ago had spearheaded a historic impeachment motion against him, the first ever attempted against a sitting Vice President in independent India.

That motion, ultimately rejected by the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman, had crystallised months of opposition discontent over Dhankhar’s combative style and his handling of the upper house.

Now, the same Congress is calling his resignation “as shocking as it is inexplicable,” appearing to shed crocodile tears, especially with something happening against the Modi government.

Senior leader Jairam Ramesh was quick to issue a statement, claiming there were “far deeper reasons” for Dhankhar’s decision than the cardiac issues cited by the former Vice President.

Irony died a thousand deaths when Ramesh also emphasised Dhankhar’s integrity, his attempts to hold both government and opposition to account, and his insistence on protocol and propriety.

Notably, Ramesh painted Dhankhar as a rare figure who tried, within the constraints of what he termed the “G2 regime,” to accommodate the opposition and remain a stickler for parliamentary norms.

“Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation speaks highly of him. It also speaks poorly of those who got him elected as Vice President in the first instance,” Ramesh said, shifting the narrative away from earlier confrontations.

The Congress’s stand made everyone think: was the impeachment motion real, or this sudden love for the outgoing VP?

Ramesh’s detailed timeline on Monday, when Dhankhar chaired two separate meetings of the Rajya Sabha’s Business Advisory Committee (BAC), only to find key government ministers absent for the second session, hints at last-minute political developments behind closed doors.

According to Congress, the “deliberate absence” of Leader of the House JP Nadda and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju from the crucial BAC meeting prompted Dhankhar to reschedule. It was in the intervening hours, Congress claims, that “something very serious” must have occurred to precipitate the resignation.

“There is far more to his totally unexpected resignation than meets the eye,” Ramesh posted, stopping short of open accusation but making the party’s skepticism evident.

Ironically, Congress’s public outpouring of regret and its appeal to Prime Minister Modi to “convince Dhankhar to change his mind” come against the backdrop of a failed impeachment bid—a move that had underscored deep parliamentary divisions only months ago.

Dhankhar’s time as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was marked by regular, public sparring with opposition benches, including the Congress.

He was frequently accused of partisanship, and his assertive interpretation of rules led to frequent adjournments and walkouts.

The impeachment motion, while unsuccessful, reflected the fraught relationship between the Vice President and opposition parties, especially during debates over judicial accountability and the role of the upper house.

A political analyst told NewsDrum that this sudden love for Dhankhar is Congress’s attempt to draw a subtle distinction between him and the current government, suggesting that even “their own” Vice President found the environment untenable.

"It is highly likely that Congress expects Dhankhar may behave like Satpal Malik, which the grand old party could use against the Modi government. After all, an apparent breakaway from the enemy is always a friend," said the analyst.

At the same time, by calling for Dhankhar’s return, the Congress can claim the moral high ground, portraying itself as more interested in institutional continuity than petty politics.