Amidst mounting pressure in the wake of his possible involvement in a sex scandal, Andhra Pradesh governor ND Tiwari sent his resignation to President Pratibha Patil on Saturday, citing health reasons.
Congress sources said it was party president Sonia Gandhi’s strong stand against Tiwari’s continuance in office following the embarrassing ‘expose’ that made the 86-year-old party veteran quit even before the state could send its report on the allegations to the Centre.
Earlier in the day, the Centre had sought a detailed report from Andhra Pradesh chief secretary Ramakant Reddy about the allegations made against Tiwari by a Telugu TV channel that broadcast the ‘expose’ on Friday. In a video aired on ABN Andhra Jyoti channel, an old man, purported to be Tiwari, was shown in bed with three women.
The video was taken off air following a high court injunction order but the hour-long broadcast sparked protests by political parties like BJP, TDP, CPI, CPM and women’s groups who demanded that Tiwari be sacked. Congress’s Rajya Sabha MP from Andhra K Keshav Rao too had demanded that Tiwari step down on moral grounds.
Congress leaders, with the exception of Rao, refused to comment on the ‘sex scandal’ initially. The party, however, welcomed Tiwari’s resignation as soon as the news came in.
“I think he has taken an appropriate decision keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it,” said Congress general secretary Janardhan Dwivedi adding, “I think he (Tiwari) does not want to hold on to an office till it is proved that the video is true or false.”
Even before Tiwari sent his resignation to President Patil, Congress sources in New Delhi had indicated that the party leadership was deliberating on the octogenarian leader’s replacement, given the highly volatile situation in the state that has been in the midst of political anarchy over the Telangana issue.
“It is felt that given the widespread protests in various parts of Andhra, the state needs a more agile Governor as opposed to the stereotypical-image of people who are given the office more as a ‘retirement posting’,” said a senior Congress leader requesting anonymity.
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