Dhankhar Lost Confidence: Chidambaram’s Criticism
Chidambaram: Dhankhar’s Resignation Signals Breakdown in Trust with Government
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New Delhi: Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram has suggested that the resignation of jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President was a result of a meaningful breakdown in trust between Dhankhar and the government, citing a perceived confrontational stance on judicial matters and a lack of formal farewell as key indicators.
Chidambaram asserted that the government’s loss of confidence in Dhankhar, who assumed office in august 2022 and was slated to serve until 2027, necessitated his departure. “Once the government lost confidence in Mr Dhankhar, he had to go,” Chidambaram stated, implying that the two were no longer aligned.
A Formal Farewell Denied: A sign of Eroded Respect
The former Union minister pointed to the Rajya Sabha’s brief and formal proclamation regarding Dhankhar’s resignation as evidence of a lack of mutual respect. The absence of a customary farewell, Chidambaram argued, signals that Dhankhar had fallen out of favour with the ruling establishment.
“The Deputy Chairman made a brief and formal announcement in the Rajya Sabha about a vacancy in the post of vice President,saying a schedule would be announced later. This means the government has bid goodbye to Mr Dhankar without fuss or fanfare or a farewell, which means the trust, the link between the two has completely broken down,” chidambaram elaborated.
Judicial Confrontations and Shifting Alliances
Chidambaram also highlighted Dhankhar’s prolonged “confrontational position on judicial issues” over the past year as a potential contributing factor to the strained relationship. He suggested that the Modi government’s modus operandi involves supporting individuals only as long as they align with its agenda,withdrawing support once they deviate.
“You see,we know the character of the Modi government. They will befriend anyone as long as that person toes their line. But once he steps out of line, they will withdraw their support. I am not saying that is exactly what happened in mr Dhankhar’s case. But something must have happened,” the Congress leader commented.
The Business Advisory Committee Incident
Further illustrating the alleged discord,Chidambaram referenced a Business Advisory Committee meeting where BJP leaders J.P. Nadda and Kiren Rijiju reportedly attended an initial session but skipped a reconvened meeting. This action was interpreted by others as a boycott, and Chidambaram noted that Dhankhar appeared visibly upset, leading to the premature end of the meeting. “What happened between 12:30 and 4:30?,” he questioned, implying a significant underlying issue.
When questioned about any shift in the opposition’s stance towards the former Vice President, chidambaram clarified that the opposition had lost confidence in Dhankhar months prior and had not urged him to remain in his position.
Published By: Shipra Parashar
Published On: Jul 22, 2025