Mohammad Azharuddin Joins Telangana Cabinet; BJP Slams Move as Poll Gimmick

Hyderabad: Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin took oath as a cabinet minister in Telangana on Friday, marking his formal entry into Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s council of ministers. The swearing-in ceremony was held at Raj Bhavan, where Governor Jishnu Dev Varma administered the oath of office.

The announcement, however, immediately triggered a political storm, with the BJP accusing the Congress of violating the Model Code of Conduct ahead of the Jubilee Hills by-election. BJP leader Shashidhar Reddy alleged that the appointment was a “deliberate attempt to woo a section of voters” in the constituency where Azharuddin himself is a voter.

“The decision to induct Mohammad Azharuddin into the cabinet is nothing but a calculated move to influence the outcome of the by-election,” Reddy said, calling it a “gross misuse of power” by the ruling party. He pointed out that Azharuddin had contested the 2023 Assembly polls from Jubilee Hills and lost, making his appointment during the ongoing by-poll period “highly questionable.”

Congress leaders, on the other hand, dismissed the allegations as “politically motivated,” claiming the BJP was trying to “deny rightful representation to the minority community” in the state cabinet. The party also accused the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of siding with the BJP to target the Revanth Reddy government.

Azharuddin’s inclusion comes at a crucial time, as the Jubilee Hills by-poll has become a prestige battle for all major parties. With over a lakh Muslim voters in the constituency, his appointment is seen as an effort by the Congress to strengthen its minority outreach and consolidate its base.

According to party insiders, the Telangana Congress had been urging the high command to ensure minority representation, as no member from the community had held a ministerial post in the Revanth Reddy cabinet so far. Azharuddin will now serve as the first minister from the minority community under the current government.

Political observers also believe the Congress’s move carries national significance, with the AICC aiming to project inclusivity ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, where minority votes could play a key role.
Azharuddin, who began his political career with the Congress in 2009 after retiring from cricket, was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota in August this year. His induction into the cabinet marks a renewed phase in his political journey, blending the legacy of a sports icon with the responsibilities of state governance.