A 'reluctant politician' who took on judiciary

Jagdeep Dhankhar, who once called himself a "reluctant politician", took on the Judiciary over the issue of separation of powers and had face-offs with the opposition in the Rajya Sabha virtually every day during his stint as the Vice President.

- AGENCIES NEW DELHI

The 74-year-old leader, who cited medical reasons to resign from the Vice President's post after an eventful day in Rajya Sabha under his chairmanship, had said this month only at an event that he would retire at the "right time", subject to "divine interventions".

While he was admitted to AIIMS for a few days in March this year and appeared not so well at a few occasions, he has been mostly seen as lively and energetic in his public appearances, including in Parliament.

Dhankhar's abrupt resignation nearly two years before his tenure was to end followed a day of surprising developments in the Rajya Sabha for the government, as an opposition-sponsored notice for a motion to remove Justice Yashwant Varma was submitted to him and he mentioned it in the House.