Tiwari resigns as Andhra Gav

Steps down on health grounds, according to a press communique.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari resigned on Saturday on health grounds, even as the state plunged into a political crisis over the issue of statehood to the Telangana region.

The Raj Bhavan issued a one-line statement saying the Governor “has submitted his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on health grounds”.

Tiwari has been embroiled in a controversy, following a regional news channel, ABN Andhra Jyothi, telecasting on Friday the visuals of an old man, purportedly Tiwari, in a compromising position with three women in the Raj Bhavan.

The Andhra Pradesh High Court, on a petition filed by the Governor’s officer on special duty, Aryendra Sharma, restricted the news channel from telecasting the footage. But before the police could serve the orders, the channel had aired the report with explicit scenes.

ABN Andhra Jyothi’s editor-in-chief, Vemuri Radhakrishna, said the channel had evidence to back what it had shown. “Let them serve defamation notice. We are ready to deal with the issue,” he said.

Later in the day, the Raj Bhavan issued a press release saying the “alleged news story is nothing but a tissue of lies”. The press note had also said the Governor would continue to discharge his Constitutional duties.

Meanwhile, various women’s organisations staged demonstrations, deploring the Governor’s behaviour and demanding that he step down immediately.

The sting operation had evoked a string of demands from political parties — like TDP, CPM, CPI and BJP — that Tiwari be sacked.

The Congress welcomed Tiwari’s resignation, saying he had taken the appropriate decision. Party sources said the Governor of some neighbouring state could be given additional charge of Andhra Pradesh for some time.

Indications that Tiwari could not continue in the post had emerged when the Centre sought a report from the state chief secretary on the issue today and highly-placed Congress sources said he would have to go in view of the acute embarrassment he had brought to the party.

“I think he has taken an appropriate decision, keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it,” Janardan Dwivedi, AICC media department’s chief, told reporters in New Delhi.

Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed had earlier said the High Court was looking into the matter. “Since the matter is sub judice, no one should comment on it.”

This is not the first time that Tiwari has been the centre of a controversy. Sometime back, Rohit Shekhar, grandson of former union minister, Sher Singh, had approached the Delhi High Court, claiming he was Tiwari’s son.