Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has vacated the official Vice President’s Enclave, more than a month after his abrupt resignation. On Monday, he temporarily shifted to a private estate in south Delhi’s Chhatarpur, which is owned by Abhay Singh Chautala, the president of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD).
According to officials, Dhankhar left the Vice President’s estate at 4:15 PM, where he met with staff and officers to thank them for their service. The move to the Chhatarpur property is a temporary arrangement until his post-retirement government bungalow in Delhi is ready for occupation. Officials have stated that the new residence is being prepared and could take an additional “15 days to a month” to be ready.
A Controversial and Abrupt Resignation
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was the first Vice President to reside in the newly built Vice President’s Enclave, shocked the nation by resigning on the evening of July 21, the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, he cited “medical reasons” and a need “to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice” as the basis for his decision, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution.
However, Dhankhar’s sudden exit has been shrouded in controversy. The Opposition has claimed that he resigned under pressure from the government after he acknowledged a notice for the impeachment of high court judge Justice Yashwant Verma, a move that reportedly did not sit well with the ruling party. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has dismissed these claims, reiterating that the resignation was strictly due to health issues and that no political motives should be read into the decision.
Dhankhar has remained out of the public eye since his resignation and has not met any Opposition leaders. His temporary move to Abhay Singh Chautala’s estate highlights his long-standing ties with the Chautala family. Dhankhar’s political career began in 1989 when he was elected as a Lok Sabha member on a Janata Dal ticket, a party then led by stalwarts like Devi Lal, the patriarch of the Chautala family.