Azharuddin in Politics Sparks Debate as BJP Alleges Vote-Bank Move; Congress Defends Minority Representation in Revanth Reddy’s Cabinet
In a major political development, former Indian cricket captain and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet on Friday. The oath of office was administered by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma at the Raj Bhawan in Hyderabad.
The inclusion of Azharuddin in politics and governance has sparked a political storm, with the BJP strongly opposing his induction into Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s cabinet. BJP leader Shashidhar Reddy alleged that the move was aimed at “wooing a section of voters” ahead of the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election.
“The proposal to give a cabinet berth to Mohammad Azharuddin is nothing but an attempt to garner votes and a gross violation of the model code of conduct,” Reddy said. He pointed out that Azharuddin had contested from the Jubilee Hills constituency in the 2023 Assembly elections, accusing the Congress of acting with “mala fide intent.”
However, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) defended the decision, with party spokesperson Syed Nizamuddin accusing the BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) of attempting to block Azharuddin’s inclusion. “This is nothing but an effort to deny minorities political representation,” Nizamuddin said.
Sources within the Congress revealed that the decision to induct Azharuddin in politics at a ministerial level was driven by a desire to ensure minority representation in the state cabinet, which currently had none. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) also reportedly approved his name to address this gap.
Azharuddin’s entry into the cabinet marks a significant moment for the Congress in Telangana, particularly as the Jubilee Hills constituency—where the former cricketer resides—has over one lakh Muslim voters who could play a decisive role in the by-poll outcome.
The move is also seen as a broader political strategy, with Congress sources suggesting that the AICC may have factored in upcoming electoral battles like the Bihar Assembly polls, where Muslim voters form a key bloc.
Earlier in August, Azharuddin was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota by the Telangana government. Though he lost the 2023 election from Jubilee Hills, his induction as a minister now signals the Congress’s confidence in leveraging his public image and community influence as Azharuddin continues to evolve his role in politics.
