New Delhi, India – Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday attended the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, C P Radhakrishnan, marking his first public appearance since his sudden resignation last month.
Dhankhar was spotted at the Rashtrapati Bhavan alongside his wife, Sudesh Dhankhar. In the same row, former Vice Presidents Hamid Ansari and Venkaiah Naidu, as well as Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, were also present.
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President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath to 67-year-old Radhakrishnan in a brief, dignified ceremony.
Dhankhar had stepped down on July 21, over two years before the scheduled end of his tenure on August 10, 2027. While officially citing medical reasons, sources suggested deeper issues, including a possible breakdown of trust with the Centre, which he had previously defended staunchly.
According to insiders, the tipping point came when Dhankhar refused to align with the government’s stand on the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma, instead accepting an Opposition-backed motion on the judge’s removal.
During the ceremony, Dhankhar appeared visibly calm and composed, casually conversing with Venkaiah Naidu and smiling while greeting dignitaries, including President Murmu. Seated near the chair of the newly elected Vice President, he seemed to make a conscious effort to remain at ease, reflecting his poised public demeanor despite recent political turbulence.
Following tradition, all living former Vice Presidents are invited to the swearing-in of a new Vice President, and Dhankhar’s presence underscored respect for the office despite his earlier exit.
Since resigning, Dhankhar has largely remained out of the public eye, reportedly spending time playing table tennis, one of his favorite hobbies. Days before the Vice Presidential election on September 9, he moved to the farmhouse of a political leader and has now been allotted a Type 8 bungalow on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in Delhi.
This appearance marks a notable return to the public sphere for Dhankhar, even as political observers continue to speculate about the circumstances surrounding his early resignation.
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