Next Vice President of India expected to be from BJP, say sources

The next Vice President of India is expected to be from the BJP, as per sources. This comes after Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden mid-term resignation left the post vacant. Dhankhar cited health reasons for this exit but speculations are rife about the real reasons behind his resignation, a possible tiff with the government. 

According to sources, JD(U) leader and Union Minister Ram Nath Thakur is unlikely to be named the Veep. They said that speculation around Thakur’s elevation is baseless. BJP is likely to appoint someone strongly aligned with the party's core ideology, said the same people in the know.

Rumours about Thakur’s ascent to the role of VP came after his meeting with BJP president JP Nadda, which the sources described as a routing interaction. Several other MPs had also met Nadda in the same period and that there has been no discussion between the JD(U) leadership and the BJP regarding Thakur’s candidature.

The rumours were also fanned by the buzz that BJP was possibly going to choose a leader from Bihar for the role of Veep, considering the upcoming Assembly elections in the state. Another name that made it to the fray was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, which was touted to be a gesture aimed at keeping him in good spirits ahead of the polls. 

After his resignation, Dhankhar did not chair the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha, which were taken over by Deputy Chairperson Harivansh Narayan Singh, also from JD(U). 

DHANKAR’S SHOCK RESIGNATION

Dhankar’s unexpected resignation came after a long-drawn beef with the government. The impeachment motion, backed by the opposition, was the final straw. Dhankhar was reportedly in contact with a Congress leader and defied multiple requests to delay the acceptance of the motion. 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Law Minister Arjun Meghwal, and Rajya Sabha Leader JP Nadda had all reportedly urged Dhankhar to wait for the joint motion, being planned across parties. However, Dhankhar defied the requests and went ahead. He went ahead and declared that he had received enough signatures from Opposition MPs to move forward with the motion, much to the government’s chagrin. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is said to have convened a meeting with his top aides where he expressed his disappointment in Dhankhar’s conduct.