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The monsoon drizzle painted New Delhi’s Rajpath in a glossy sheen on the evening of July 21, 2025, but inside the capital’s political nerve centers, a storm of speculation raged. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, a stalwart of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with a razor-sharp legal mind and a reputation for steely resolve, stunned the nation by resigning at the age of 74. His letter to President Droupadi Murmu, delivered at precisely 6:30 p.m., cited “health concerns” and expressed gratitude for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “visionary leadership.” Yet, the sparse 400-word missive, penned from his stately office adorned with constitutional tomes and a single saffron lotus emblem, left more questions than answers. Was Dhankhar’s exit a genuine health-driven retreat, a strategic move to position Modi—nearing his 75th birthday in September—as vice president, or a surprising play to elevate RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, also turning 75 this September, to a constitutional role? In a country where neither the vice presidency nor presidency carries an age bar, the debate set political circles, especially the BJP, ablaze.
Dhankhar, a Jat leader from Rajasthan whose career spanned law, governance, and a fiery tenure as Rajya Sabha chairman, was no stranger to navigating turbulent waters. His resignation, announced as the city’s streetlights flickered on, sparked frenzied discussions at the BJP’s headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg. In a smoke-filled conference room, amid trays of pakoras and steaming chai, party strategists traded theories. “It’s about Modi ji,” insisted Vikram, a wiry organizer, his voice low but fervent. “Dhankhar’s clearing the way for the PM to take the vice presidency post-75, keeping him central without breaking party norms.” Across the table, Neha, a rising star in the women’s wing, countered sharply. “Nonsense. Jagdeep ji’s health has been fragile—those Rajya Sabha clashes drained him. But don’t rule out Bhagwat ji. The RSS might want him in a constitutional role to cement their influence.” A third voice, older and gruffer, chimed in: “Why not both? The BJP loves a multi-layered plan.”
The BJP’s unwritten “retire-at-75” rule, a tradition that had gently nudged veterans like L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi into the ceremonial Margdarshak Mandal, hung like a monsoon cloud over the party. Modi, the architect of the BJP’s recent triumph in Delhi’s 2025 assembly elections after a 27-year drought, was no ordinary leader. His popularity made him indispensable, yet his impending 75th birthday fueled succession debates. Bhagwat’s own announcement, days earlier, that he would step down as RSS chief upon turning 75, added a twist. The RSS, the BJP’s ideological fountainhead, rarely played its cards openly, but whispers suggested Bhagwat’s retirement could be a prelude to a larger role. The vice presidency, free of constitutional age limits, offered a perfect stage for either Modi or Bhagwat to wield influence without the day-to-day grind of executive power.
In the neon-lit studios of Bharat News, anchor Rohan Malhotra’s voice sliced through the air. “Is Dhankhar’s resignation a health issue, a Modi masterplan, or an RSS bid to place Bhagwat in the VP’s chair?” he demanded, his panelists ascended into chaos. A BJP spokesperson, adjusting her dupatta, insisted, “Jagdeep ji’s health is the only reason. The party is focused on governance, not games.” A Congress leader smirked, “This smells like a BJP-RSS plot. Modi or Bhagwat as VP? They’re desperate to cling to power.” An analyst, sipping water, offered a third view: “It’s strategic ambiguity. The BJP keeps everyone guessing while securing its future.”
On X, the speculation ran wild. #DhankharResigns trended alongside #ModiVP and #BhagwatRising. One post declared, “Dhankhar’s exit at 74 is Modi’s ticket to the VP chair. No age bar, pure strategy. #BJPGenius.” Another countered, “Bhagwat’s the real play. RSS wants him in a constitutional role to guide the nation. #RSSPower.” A third scoffed, “Health issues, plain and simple. Stop cooking conspiracies. #Dhankhar.” The opposition fanned the flames. Congress tweeted, “Dhankhar’s resignation exposes BJP’s fear of losing Modi’s aura. Or is it Bhagwat’s coronation?” Aam Aadmi Party’s Arvind Kejriwal, still licking his Delhi wounds, posted, “BJP’s scrambling to keep Modi or Bhagwat relevant. India needs new ideas, not old faces.”
Privately, BJP insiders revealed a web of possibilities. Sources close to Dhankhar, speaking anonymously over filter coffee at a Hauz Khas café, described marathon meetings with Home Minister Amit Shah and party president J.P. Nadda. “It’s about 2029,” one source whispered. “Modi can’t be PM forever, but as VP, he’d chair the Rajya Sabha, guiding the party’s agenda. Dhankhar’s exit creates the space.” Another source, however, hinted at an RSS angle. “Bhagwat’s retirement talk isn’t final. The Sangh sees the vice presidency as a way to institutionalize its influence. Jagdeep ji’s health gave them an opening.” Yet, Dhankhar’s documented health struggles—stress from fiery Rajya Sabha battles and recent hospitalizations—lent credence to the simpler explanation. “He’s 74 and worn out,” a BJP MP confided over a crackling phone call. “The man’s earned his rest.”
The capital’s elite dissected the drama over whiskey and kebabs at a Lutyens’ bungalow. “Modi as VP makes sense,” argued a veteran columnist. “He stays a towering figure while Shah or Nadda takes the PM’s chair.” Her rival, Arjun, swirled his glass. “Bhagwat’s the dark horse. The RSS wants a saffron ideologue in a constitutional post, especially with Modi’s tenure in question.” A third journalist, skeptical, cut in: “Dhankhar’s health is no secret. He’s been battling stress since those opposition showdowns. Let’s not overcomplicate it.”
As the Yamuna flowed quietly under the city’s bridges, Modi and Bhagwat remained silent. The BJP cadre, from Varanasi’s ghats to Delhi’s power corridors, buzzed with anticipation. Was Dhankhar’s resignation at 74 a health-driven exit, a strategic step to elevate Modi to the vice presidency, or an RSS-orchestrated move to install Bhagwat? With no constitutional age bar and the BJP’s penchant for layered strategies, the truth remained as elusive as the monsoon mist, promising more intrigue as September loomed.
