New Delhi:
Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari resigned as Governor of Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, after an expose allegedly showed him in compromising positions with girls at Raj Bhavan.
Tiwairi's party has welcomed his resignation, which President Pratibha Patil has forwarded to the Central government. However, Tiwari has cited health reasons for quitting.
The incident had raised a stink, with Opposition parties demanding he be immediately sacked. CPM leader Brinda Karat had written to President PratibhaPatil demanding that if Tiwari doesn't quit, he should be recalled.
After the matter was reported, the Chief Secretary of the state was instructed to send a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Tiwari's alleged involvement in the sex scandal. Home Ministry will decide on the next course of action after receiving the report.
Meanwhile, sources in the Congress party say the party is very embarrassed by the sting operation showing on one of its Governors in a compromising position with women. The sex scandal has already got the Opposition up in its feet demanding N D Tiwari's scalp.
Women groups are now demanding Governor Narayan Dutt Tiwari's ouster from Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad. This after a private Telugu channel aired photographs that allegedly showed Tiwari in a compromising position with several girls, who the channel claimed worked at Raj Bhavan.
After a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Andhra Pradesh High court asked the channel to stop telecast of the visuals. Raj Bhavan said the TV programme was 'fabricated, false and malicious', aimed at tarnishing the image of the Governor.
"He degraded it. It is not we. It is the Governor who has to answer for being involved in such acts," said A Radhakrishna, Editor, Andhra Jyoti.
The Opposition has demanded that Tiwari be sacked.
"Today what they have shown is very bad and everybody should be ashamed of it. I demand that immediately the Governor should resign or otherwise the Government of India should sack him," said Chandrababu Naidu, Leader of the Opposition.
The government was reluctant to react.
When NDTV asked Andhra Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy about the incident she slammed the door of her car.
The expose comes at a time when there is speculation on whether the state will come under President's rule and on whether a new incumbent will occupy Raj Bhavan.