Who Will Be Next Vice President After Jagdeep Dhankar? Nitish Kumars Name Tops List As Bihar Poll Date Nears – Check Key Contenders

Who Will Be Next Vice President of India? In a surprise political development, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar shocked everyone by tendering his resignation on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. While Dhankhar cited health reasons, opposition parties claim that there is much more to his resignation than meets the eye. Dhankhar’s term was due to end in 2027 and his resignation ahead of the Bihar polls has opened a mystery box of speculations. The resignation has triggered political speculation, particularly in Bihar, where it has quickly taken on an electoral tone in the run-up to the upcoming elections. 

Nitish Kumar In Fray For VP Post?

RJD MLA Mukesh Roshan claimed on Tuesday that Dhankhar stepped down to make way for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to become the next Vice President. The RJD has been alleging that the saffron party wants to shift Nitish Kumar to the national role to make way for a BJP Chief Minister in Bihar before the elections, to retain control even after the polls. The RJD claimed that Kumar will soon resign as the CM of Bihar. The RJD has alleged that the BJP is working to dismantle the JD(U).  

However, the JD(U) has firmly denied the RJD’s claims. JD(U) leader and Bihar Minister Madan Sahni dismissed the speculation, saying that Nitish Kumar will not become the Vice President and will continue to serve the state as the Chief Minister. Sahni accused the RJD of spreading false, fabricated rumours and emphasised that the NDA does not force decisions on its allies. Sahni further clarified that Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned due to health reasons and was not pressured to step down. He said there is no connection between Dhankhar’s resignation and Nitish Kumar. 

Top Contenders

While the BJP is known for picking up a dark horse for top posts, predicting a name of the next Vice President is not that simple. One of the prominent contenders being considered for the Vice President’s post, apart from Nitish Kumar, is Harivansh Singh, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and a Member of Parliament from Janata Dal (United). He has held the position since 2020 and is seen as a reliable figure aligned with the current administration.

Other potential candidates reportedly include Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud. As per media reports, the BJP is also exploring the option of selecting a current state governor—similar to the path taken by Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was West Bengal’s governor before assuming the Vice Presidency—or possibly a senior Union minister with significant experience in parliamentary affairs.