New Delhi, December 26
Veteran Congress leader ND Tiwari stepped down as Andhra Pradesh Governor this evening after he was asked to put in his papers by the Congress leadership in Delhi.

CPM leader Brinda Karat had written to President Pratibha Patil demanding that if Tiwari doesn't quit, he should be recalled. Realising that Tiwari’s continuation had become untenable, an embarrassed Congress leadership decided to act before the controversy could spiral out of control. Congress president Sonia Gandhi was briefed on the issue by Union ministers and senior party leaders Pranab Mukherjee and AK Antony this morning following which Tiwari was told that he should step down voluntarily.

This controversy could not have come at a worse time for the Congress which is preparing to celebrate its 125th foundation day on Monday. The episode erupted when the party and the Centre are still grappling with the crisis which has engulfed Andhra Pradesh on the emotive Telengana issue.

Although the Congress had distanced itself from the veteran leader earlier on the plea that occupants of Constitutional posts cease to be the party members, was, however, quick to welcome his resignation offer. “I think he has taken an appropriate decision keeping in view the high standards of public life. We welcome it,” AICC media department chief Janardan Dwivedi told reporters.

The Congress may have been embarrassed by this controversy but this is not the first time that Tiwari has been in the eye of a storm. Tiwari was taken to court by a lawyer Rohit Shekhar who had filed a paternity suit against him in Delhi High Court claiming that he was born out of a “relationship” between his mother Ujwala Sharma and the outgoing Andhra Pradesh Governor. The suit was dismissed on the ground that Shekhar had filed the petition long after he became a major. Tiwari had denied the charge.