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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Inside the secret power struggle behind Dhankhar’s resignation

Mumbai: The cryptic silence surrounding the abrupt resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in July was shattered on the floor of the Rajya Sabha this Monday, not by a government clarification, but by the visible anguish of the Opposition. While official records continue to attribute his departure to “health reasons,” highly placed sources in the power corridors of the capital have now confirmed that a fatal misunderstanding of the shifting power dynamics between the Rashtriya...

Inside the secret power struggle behind Dhankhar’s resignation

Mumbai: The cryptic silence surrounding the abrupt resignation of former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar in July was shattered on the floor of the Rajya Sabha this Monday, not by a government clarification, but by the visible anguish of the Opposition. While official records continue to attribute his departure to “health reasons,” highly placed sources in the power corridors of the capital have now confirmed that a fatal misunderstanding of the shifting power dynamics between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) top brass was the true precipice from which the former Vice President fell. The revelations surfaced as the Winter Session of Parliament commenced on Monday, December 1, 2025. The solemnity of welcoming the new Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman, C.P. Radhakrishnan, was punctured by an emotional intervention from Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. The veteran Congress leader, hands shaking and voice trembling, shed tears on the floor of the House—a rare display of vulnerability that underscored the Opposition’s grievance over what they term an “institutional surgical strike.” The Failed Mediation Exclusive details emerging from Delhi’s political circles paint a picture of a constitutional authority who misread the winds of change. Sources reveal that tensions between Dhankhar and the government had been simmering for months, primarily over his handling of key legislative agendas and a perceived “drift” towards accommodating Opposition demands in the Upper House. As the chasm widened, a lifeline was reportedly thrown. A senior leader from a prominent alliance partner within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) — a figure with decades of parliamentary experience and respect across the aisle — had discreetly offered to mediate. This leader recognized the growing impatience in the BJP high command and sought to bridge the gap before it became unbridgeable. However, Dhankhar declined the immediate urgency of this political mediation. “He was confident in his equations with the ideological parent,” a source familiar with the developments stated. “He is close to some of the RSS top functionaries and relied on them to mediate when his equations with the BJP top brass started going astray.” This reliance on Nagpur to manage New Delhi proved to be a critical miscalculation. Sources indicate that Dhankhar believed his deep ties with the Sangh would act as a buffer, insulating him from the political maneuvering of the ruling party’s executive leadership. He reportedly waited for the “green signal” or intervention from RSS functionaries, delaying the necessary reconciliation with the party leadership. Cost of delay The delay in mending ways was fatal. By the time the former Vice President realized that the RSS would not—or could not—overrule the BJP’s strategic decision to replace him, the die had been cast. The drift had become a gulf. The instruction, when it finally came on that fateful July 21, was absolute - he had to vacate the office immediately. The “untimely sudden resignation” that followed was officially cloaked in medical terminology, but insiders describe a chaotic exit. The former VP, who had recently moved into the lavish new Vice-President’s Enclave, was forced to vacate the premises in haste, leaving behind a tenure marked by both assertive confrontations and, ironically, a final act of silent compliance. Tears in the Upper House The ghost of this departure loomed large over Monday’s proceedings. Welcoming the new Chairman, C.P. Radhakrishnan, Mallikarjun Kharge could not hold back his emotions. Breaking away from the customary pleasantries, Kharge launched into a poignant lament for the predecessor who was denied a farewell. “I am constrained to refer to your predecessor’s completely unexpected and sudden exit from the office of the Rajya Sabha Chairman, which is unprecedented in the annals of parliamentary history,” Kharge said, his voice heavy with emotion. As Treasury benches erupted in protest, shouting slogans to drown out the discomforting truth, Kharge continued, wiping tears from his eyes. “The Chairman, being the custodian of the entire House, belongs as much to the Opposition as to the government. I was disheartened that the House did not get an opportunity to bid him a farewell. Regardless, we wish him, on behalf of the entire Opposition, a very healthy life.” The sight of the Leader of the Opposition shedding tears for a presiding officer with whom he had frequently clashed was a striking paradox. It highlighted the Opposition’s narrative that Dhankhar’s removal was not just a personnel change, but an assertion of executive dominance over the legislature. New chapter with old scars The government, represented by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, sharply countered Kharge’s remarks, accusing the Opposition of shedding “crocodile tears” after having moved impeachment notices against Dhankhar in the past. “You are insulting the Chair by raising this now,” Rijiju argued amidst the din. Yet, outside the House, the whispers persisted. The narrative of a Vice President who waited for a call from Nagpur that came too late has firmly taken root. As C.P. Radhakrishnan takes the Chair, he does so not just as a new presiding officer, but as the successor to a man who learned the hard way that in the current dispensation, political alignment with the executive supersedes even the oldest of ideological ties.

RSS’ stark warning to BJP: Listen to us or Perish

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Sangh insists on criteria for candidate selection, prioritising grassroots connections and ideological commitment

RSS’ stark warning to BJP: Listen to us or Perish

Mumbai: As Maharashtra gears up for the Assembly elections, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), is expressing growing discontent with the BJP’s approach to the polls. Sources familiar with the situation suggest that the RSS has issued a stern warning to the BJP: shape up or face consequences. This tension underscores the larger anxiety within the RSS over the BJP's dismal performance in Maharashtra in the June 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Implicit in the RSS’s intervention is the threat that failure to heed its advice could lead to a rupture in the relationship between the two organizations.

“The RSS has indicated to the BJP that this will be the last opportunity for the party to correct itself. If it fails, the RSS may find an alternative to the BJP,” said a source close to the developments.

He revealed that the RSS has laid down specific guidelines and expectations for the BJP, emphasizing that this election represents the party's last chance to align with the Sangh's vision and restore its standing.

The source further said the RSS had made it clear that Maharashtra election was “a litmus test” for the BJP as far as its relations with the Sangh are concerned. “If the BJP does not listen to what Sangh says, the Sangh might explore other options in the near future. And this message has been clearly conveyed to the BJP leaders. Now, it us up to the BJP whether or not listen to the RSS.”

In a series of meetings held across Maharashtra's key regions—Konkan, Western Maharashtra, Devgiri and Vidarbha—the RSS leadership conveyed its dissatisfaction directly to senior BJP figures including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and former state president Chandrakant Patil.

One of the RSS’s primary concerns is the disconnect between BJP leaders and the party’s traditional supporters. The Sangh has observed a growing sense of disillusionment among loyal BJP workers, who feel sidelined by what they perceive as the arrogance and aloofness of the current leadership. In its meetings, the RSS leadership stressed the need for BJP leaders to engage more authentically with the party base.

“The RSS has categorically told to the BJP leaders that they will have to reach out to the party workers and sympathisers with an open heart and mind,” the source said. “The RSS believes that the loyal BJP workers are dejected because of the arrogance and aloofness of the party leaders. If these workers are won over the BJP could get back in a position to put up a fight in the election.”

In June, a closed-door meeting in Pune’s Moti Baug area further highlighted the depth of the RSS’s concerns. The meeting, which included several BJP leaders — either defeated candidates or campaign managers from losing constituencies—served as a forum for the RSS to directly convey its displeasure with the BJP’s campaign strategies and organizational shortcomings.

For the RSS, this is not just about winning an election; it is about safeguarding the ideological integrity of a movement that has shaped India’s political landscape for nearly a century. After the current ‘ultimatum,’ the onus is on the BJP to correct course and realign with the Sangh’s expectations.

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