What led to Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation? 4 key theories doing the rounds

POOR HEALTH

The official reason cited in Dhankhar's resignation letter was poor health. Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP extended their wishes for his recovery, backing this explanation.

There’s some truth here. Dhankhar underwent angioplasty at AIIMS, Delhi, in March, fainted during an event in Nainital, and was reportedly unwell while on an official trip to Kochi.

However, sources close to parliamentary affairs question the urgency of his resignation, especially since he presided over the Rajya Sabha for a full day just before stepping down. His final act as Chairman was to admit an Opposition-backed motion seeking the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court — a case that has sparked significant political controversy.

Justice Varma is embroiled in the cash at judge's house matter and Dhankhar has been vocal in asking why Delhi police did not register a case in the matter. Delhi police are directly under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

MOTION TO REMOVE JUSTICE VARMA

For over a week, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju had indicated that a motion to remove Justice Varma would be introduced in the Lok Sabha.

That plan was executed on Monday morning, when a multi-party delegation submitted the motion to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. Signatories included senior leaders Rahul Gandhi, KC Venugopal, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Anurag Thakur, Supriya Sule and TR Baalu.

Later in the day, Rajya Sabha MPs belonging to the opposition also moved a parallel motion for the removal of Justice Varma. Congress chief whip in Rajya Sabha Jairam Ramesh announced that 63 opposition MPs had signed the motion. Dhankhar accepted the motion and later mentioned it in Rajya Sabha. This disturbed the government's calculation of the motion being taken up by Lok Sabha.

Had there been only one notice of motion in Lok Sabha, Speaker Om Birla would have formed a three-member committee as per law to probe the matter and submit a report in three months as mandated by the Judges Inquiries Act, 1968. But once a motion to remove a judge is presented in both houses on the same day, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Speaker are mandated to jointly form the three-member panel.

Also, the removal proceedings would be then held in a house whose presiding officer is senior -- Rajya Sabha in this case because Dhankhar is senior to Birla. This changed government calculations that the motion would come in Lok Sabha and may have triggered the sudden exit of Dhankhar.

BJP PARTY REVAMP

The BJP is in the process of electing its president though the election is running way behind the scheduled date of January. Sources say Dhankhar may have been quietly signalled to resign with the government bringing someone else as VP as part of a larger recalibration of the BJP and its strategies.

OUTSPOKEN VP

Dhankhar has been known to speak his mind. He has at least on five occasions asked why the FIR in the Justice Varma case has not been registered despite recovery of charred currency notes from his house. He has publicly attacked the higher judiciary and questioned the government for "not talking" to the farmers. Sources say his equation with the government had been souring for a while though no one knows for sure why.