ND Tiwari hospitalised due to low blood pressure, put on life support

In 2002, ND Tiwari became chief minister of Uttarakhand and became the only chief minister in the state to complete a five-year term. (Express Archives)

Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Nayaran Dutt Tiwari, was hospitalised on Sunday evening due to low blood pressure and placed on life support, news agency ANI reported. Tiwari, who joined the BJP earlier this year, has been shifted to the Intensive Care Unit of New Delhi’s Max Hospital in Saket.

In September, Tiwari, the only leader to have served as Chief Minister of two states, had suffered a brain stroke after which his condition was critical.

Tiwari served as Minister of External Affairs in Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s cabinet. Tiwari was also the Governor of Andhra Pradesh from 2007 to 2009. He was, however, forced to resign over a sex scandal. While earlier he was a part of Congress, he along with his son, Rohit Shekhar Tiwari, joined BJP earlier this year in the presence of BJP president Amit Shah.

Tiwari first came to the limelight when Indira Gandhi chose him to replace Veer Bahadur Singh as the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister in 1976. While earlier he was one of the most acceptable faces of the Congress, he ultimately switched to the saffron party during the Uttarakhand elections in January this year.

Tiwari first became chief minister of UP in 1976. His close ties to the Gandhi family helped him take over the post from Veer Bahadur Singh.

In 1984, he 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.

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.

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