New Delhi, December 26: N D Tiwari today resigned as Andhra Pradesh Governor in the wake of a raging controversy after a sting operation purportedly showed him in a compromising position with three women. 86-year-old Tiwari, a former chief minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, sent his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on “health grounds”, said a press communique from the Raj Bhavan.
The resignation came a day after Telugu television channel ”ABN Andhra Jyothi” aired a footage captured in a sting operation of an elderly man with three women in Raj Bhavan in a compromising position, which the channel said was of Tiwari. The Raj Bhavan denied it and promptly approached the High Court yesterday and got a restraint order on the channel from telecasting the footage.
The sting operation evoked a string of demands from political parties, like TDP, CPM, CPI and BJP, that he be sacked. Women”s organisations also staged demonstrations deploring the Governor”s behaviour and demanded that he step down immediately.
The Congress welcomed the resignation saying Tiwari has taken the appropriate decision. Party sources said the Governor of some neighbouring state could be given additional charge of Andhra Pradesh for some time.
—PTI—