N.D. Tiwari marries his companion Ujjwala Sharma

Veteran Congress leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Narayan Dutt Tiwari married Ujjwala Sharma, retired lecturer and the woman whose son he recently accepted as his own, Ujjwala said Thursday.

The wedding was held Wednesday night at his official residence in Mall Avenue area here in the presence of family members from both the sides, she said.

Ujjwala is mother of Rohit Shekhar, whose biological relation with the 88-year-old former Uttarakhand chief minister was settled by the Delhi High Court recently.

Tiwari was dressed in traditional wedding attire and Ujjwala wore a bright coloured saree and the 'pichauda' (odhni) gifted by Tiwari's family, she said.

Tiwari spoke about the wedding to her a few days back and discussed it later with their 'kul purohit' (family priest) and the day of Budh Poornima on Wednesday was finalised for the occasion, Ujjwala told IANS.

"I am happy that a social sanctity has been given to this relationship," Ujjwala said, looking happy after the wedding.

She said their son Rohit also wanted this to happen.

Tiwari's office Thursday said the legal process, including registration of the marriage, would be completed after a formal announcement of the marriage. Tiwari's first wife passed away years back.

Ujjwala was locked in a protracted legal battle with Tiwari over accepting Rohit as his son and the two sides settled the matter out of the court after a DNA test ordered by the Delhi High Court proved that Rohit was Tiwari's biological son.

She was not allowed recently to enter into Tiwari's house in Mall Avenue area. She lodged a complaint with Lucknow police against security personnel and the officer on special duty to Tiwari, Bhawani Bhatt. Police intervened and Tiwari allowed her inside the house.

Agreeing to the "live-in" relationship, the two started living in the same house a week back.

The former union finance minister, who has also served as governor of Andhra Pradesh, Tiwari has now settled the matter for all.