Hindustan Times via Getty Images
NEW DELHI -- Congress veteran Narayan Dutt Tiwari and his son Rohit Shekhar on Wednesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party president Amit Shah.
The 91-year-old leader served as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh thrice (1976-77, 1984-85, 1988-89) and the chief minister of Uttarakhand once (2002-2007).
In 1986-1987, he served in former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet as Minister for External Affairs.
This political development comes ahead of the high-stakes Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
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Indian Muslim Children Studying At Madrasas
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Indian Muslim children read the Quran during the holy month of Ramadan at a madrasa, or religious school, in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Muslims throughout the world are marking the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(02 of22)
Indian Muslim children attend a class at a madrasa, or religious school, during the holy month of Ramadan in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Muslims throughout the world are marking the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(03 of22)
An Indian Muslim boy looks up as he reads the Quran during the holy month of Ramadan at a madrasa, or religious school, in Hyderabad, India, Wednesday, July 2, 2014. Muslims throughout the world are marking the holy month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(04 of22)
A Muslim student from remote hilly area of Jammu yawns as he studies inside a madrasa, or religious school, on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Friday, May 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(05 of22)
Muslim students from remote hilly areas of Jammu study inside a madrasa, or religious school, on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Friday, May 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(06 of22)
Indian Muslim students from remote hilly areas of Jammu study inside a madrasa, or religious school, on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Friday, May 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(07 of22)
Muslim students from remote hilly areas of Jammu study inside a madrasa, or religious school, on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Friday, May 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(08 of22)
A Muslim student from remote hilly area of Jammu stands as he waits to take lessons from his teacher inside a madrasa, or religious school, on the outskirts of Jammu, India, Friday, May 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(09 of22)
Indian Muslim children take lessons on the Quran at a Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian Muslim children take lessons on the Quran at a Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(11 of22)
Indian Muslim children take lessons on the Quran at a Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in New Delhi, India, Tuesday, July 30, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(12 of22)
Indian Muslim children take lessons on the Quran from their teacher at a local Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in New Delhi, India, Thursday, July 25, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(13 of22)
Indian Muslim children attend recitation classes of the holy Quran at a local Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in New Delhi, India, Thursday, July 25, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(14 of22)
Two Kashmiri Muslim children laugh as they attend recitation classes of the Quran at a local Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(15 of22)
Kashmiri Muslim children attend recitation classes of the Quran at a local Madrasa or Muslim religious school, during Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, July 17, 2013. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar during which devotees fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Iqra Jan, a Kashmiri Muslim girl from an impoverished neighborhood, attends daily Quran recitation classes at a Madrasa, or Islamic religious school, in Srinagar, India, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. (AP Photo/ Dar Yasin) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A young Muslim boy takes a quick nap as other students at a madrasa, or an Islamic school housed in a mosque, read the holy Quran soon after dawn prayers during the month of Ramadan in Amritsar, India, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Kashmiri Muslim children are seen at a local Madrasa as they study the Quran during the holy month of Ramadan in Srinagar, India, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2009. Muslims throughout the world are marking the month of Ramadan, where observants fast from dawn till dusk. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
(19 of22)
Indian Muslim students recite from the Quran in a classroom during the month of Ramadan at The Madrasa Islamia Darul-Uloom Ashrafia in Hyderabad on June 24, 2015. As well as abstinence and fasting during Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to pray and read the Quran during Islam's holiest month. (credit:NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
(20 of22)
Indian Muslim students recite from the Quran in a classroom during the month of Ramadan at The Madrasa Islamia Darul-Uloom Ashrafia in Hyderabad on June 24, 2015. As well as abstinence and fasting during Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to pray and read the Quran during Islam's holiest month. (credit:NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
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Indian Muslim students recite from the Quran in a classroom during the month of Ramadan at The Madrasa Islamia Darul-Uloom Ashrafia in Hyderabad on June 24, 2015. As well as abstinence and fasting during Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to pray and read the Quran during Islam's holiest month. (credit:NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)
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Indian Muslim students recite from the Quran in a classroom during the month of Ramadan at The Madrasa Islamia Darul-Uloom Ashrafia in Hyderabad on June 24, 2015. As well as abstinence and fasting during Ramadan, Muslims are encouraged to pray and read the Quran during Islam's holiest month. (credit:NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images)