Tiwari turns up at BJP event, again

Dehradun, Feb 11 (PTI) Sidelined Congress leader N DTiwari today shared the dais with BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, inyet another instance of his cosying up to the saffron party.

Eyebrows were raised as the 85-year-old former chiefminister not only rubbed shoulders with the BJP leaders at theparty function here but also "praised" former Prime MinisterAtal Bihari Vajpayee terming him as an "old friend".

The event saw the formal launch of the "AtalFoodgrains Scheme" by Gadkari here on the occasion of thedeath anniversary of Bhartiya Jana Sangh ideologue DeendayalUpadhyaya.

Tiwari, who was the only Congress leader to attend theevent, told reporters that the scheme launched today is "goingto immensely benefit the poor and needy".

"I am confident that the Centre would extend allpossible help for the scheme," said Tiwari and hailed it as a"model" project for other states.

This is not the first time that the veteran Congressleader has left his party red faced. Tiwari had also"complimented" BJP leaders on the occasion of New Year afterdropping at the party office on January 2.

However, senior BJP leaders had then downplayedTiwari''s visit to the party office.

Tiwari, who had to resign as Governor of AndhraPradesh in 2009 in the midst of a sex scandal and is facing apaternity suit, keeps shuttling between Delhi and Dehradun.