Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns: A list of possible successors
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
Mystery over next vice president continues: 3 probable contenders in the running
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on Monday, July 21, 2025. He said he was stepping down with immediate effect, citing medical reasons. The election to the post must be conducted ‘as soon as possible’ While the election hasn’t been officially announced yet, many names have started floating around for the possible successor. Nitish Kumar, Manoj Sinha, VK Saxena and Upendra Kushwaha are among the names that have been mooted as possible candidates for the post.
According to the Constitution, the election to the post must be conducted ‘as soon as possible’. While the election hasn’t been officially announced yet, many names have started floating around for the possible successor to Dhankhar.
Here are a few names, not ordered by degree of possibility, as to who could replace Jagdeep Dhankhar and become the next Vice President of India.
Possible names for Vice President of India
NITISH KUMAR, 74
Nitish Kumar may seem the most unlikely candidate, but the speculation refuses to die down. There have been many, including NDA allies like Upendra Kushwaha, who have suggested that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar step down as CM to make way for the next generation. Supporting that theory is the fact that Union minister Chirag Paswan has announced that he will fight the Bihar election. Could the VP role be the honourable exit for the longest-serving CM?
VK SAXENA, 67
While the Delhi lieutenant governor has only been in his job for three years, there has been talk for some time now about him moving out for a “bigger assignment.” VK Saxena, a former corporate man, played a major role in Delhi politics by apparently blocking administrative moves by the AAP government. From appointments to policies about the Delhi Jal Board, Saxena became a stumbling block for chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. This was eventually seen as one of the factors that cost Kejriwal in the perception battle.
MANOJ SINHA, 66
The lieutenant governor (LG) of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha is finishing his five-year tenure on August 6, which makes it perfect timing to take on the next-level job of being Vice President. A former junior minister of railways and an old BJP hand from Uttar Pradesh, Sinha contributed a degree of stability post the abrogation of Article 370, his supporters say. However, his J&K tenure is ending with Sinha having to take responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack where 25 tourists and a pony operator were killed.