Who was N D Tiwari?

N D Tiwari, who joined the Congress in 1963, was the only Indian politician to have served as chief minister of two states, Uttar Pradesh and later Uttarakhand.

N D Tiwari, N D Tiwari hospitalsed, Congress veteran N D Tiwari, N D Tiwari BJP

BJP president Amit Shah with Tiwari in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/File)

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister N D Tiwari passed away at Saket’s Max Hospital in New Delhi on Thursday. The 92-year-old politician was admitted to the hospital on September 20, 2017 after suffering a brain stroke.

Tiwari, who joined the Congress in 1963, was the only Indian politician to have served as chief minister of two states, Uttar Pradesh and later Uttarakhand. A Kumauni Brahmin, Tiwari first became chief minister of UP in 1976. His close ties to the Gandhi family, namely Indira and Sanjay Gandhi, helped him take over the post from Veer Bahadur Singh.

N D Tiwari, Chief Minister UP, addressing Press conference in New Delhi on 16.9.94. (Express Photo/R K Sharma/Archive)

In 1984, Tiwari got his second chance at chief ministership in UP. While in power, he helped lead the Congress to victory in the state elections held months after Indira Gandhi’s assassination the same year. However, Rajiv Gandhi replaced him within months of the victory.

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Read | Former UP and Uttarakhand CM N D Tiwari passes away aged 93

Tiwari came back to power in UP for the third time in 1988. However, the Congress suffered a historic defeat in 1989 and has struggled to regain hold of the state since — it has been 28 years. All three of Tiwari’s terms as CM were very brief, not lasting more than a year each.

N D Tiwari at Prime Minister House on 11.10.94. (Express Photo/Ravi Batra/Archive)

Tiwari was elected to both Houses of Parliament during his days in the Congress. In 1980, he was elected to the 7th Lok Sabha. He held several portfolios during his tenure. In 1985, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. He also served as Minister of External Affairs in Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet, from 1986-87.

In 2002, the Congress stalwart became chief minister of Uttarakhand. He was the only chief minister in the state to complete a five-year term.

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Also read | At 91, ND Tiwari knocks new door: Saffron for son

Tiwari also served as Governor of Andhra Pradesh between 2007 and 2009. He resigned after a sting operation allegedly showing him in a compromising position at Raj Bhavan with three women was released. He thereafter resigned cited his health as the reason.

N D Tiwari at 52nd Annual South Asian Integration Children’s Camp function in Lucknow. (Express photo/Vishal Srivastav/Archive)

Tiwari was also embroiled in a controversy after lawyer Rohit Shekhar filed a paternity suit claiming Tiwari was his biological father. In his petition to the Delhi High Court, Shekhar claimed he was born out of an illegitimate relationship between the Congress veteran and his mother Ujjwala. Denying the charge, Tiwari initially refused to undergo DNA tests, but was later ordered to by the HC. The tests confirmed Rohit was his biological son. The Delhi HC passed an order on the same in 2014.

Photos | N D Tiwari passes away: A look back at his long political career

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In January last year, ahead of the Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Tiwari and Rohit joined the BJP in the presence of party president Amit Shah.