switching sides

Veteran Congress leader N.D. Tiwari, son join BJP

nd-tiwari-bjp N.D. Tiwari | PTI

For politicians, age is just a number. They don't retire from public life.

Veteran Congress leader and former Uttarakhand chief minister N.D. Tiwari, along with his son Rohit Shekhar, joined the BJP in New Delhi on Wednesday.

BJP President Amit Shah inducted 91-year-old Tiwari and his 37-year-old son into the party fold with an eye on upper caste Brahmin votes in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh where the assembly elections would be held next month.

Tiwari is the second former chief minister from the Congress stable to have switched sides. Earlier, Vijay Bahuguna had joined BJP, after rebelling against the grand old party. Vijay's sister Rita Bahuguna, also a senior Congress leader from UP, too had joined the saffron fold. According to BJP sources, these entries would help the BJP get Pahari votes as people from Uttarakhand are also spread in UP.

Vijay Bahuguna had managed to get a ticket for his son Saurabh Bahuguna for the upcoming election in Uttarakhand. Tiwari's son may also be looking for a similar deal.

Tiwari's entry to BJP cannot be effectively translated into votes as he cannot campaign, but his presence can serve as a signal to his supporters.

The veteran Congressman have had a colorful past. He married at age to 88, three years ago, to formalise his relation with Ujjwala Sharma, through whom he had son, Rohit Shekhar. As Tiwari had refused to acknowledge Rohit as his son, the latter had moved court to establish their biological relationship. Tiwari had finally relented.

Tiwari had served as chief minister of both Utrakhand and UP, and was also the governor of Andhra Pradesh from where he had to resign following a sex scandal.

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Topics : #Congress | #BJP

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