Former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin takes oath as Cabinet Minister in Telangana, becoming the first Muslim face in CM A. Revanth Reddy's team, boosting cabinet strength to 16.
Azharuddin thanks top Congress brass—Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia, Rahul, Priyanka Gandhi, KC Venugopal—and CM Revanth Reddy for their unwavering trust and support.
Move timed days before Jubilee Hills by-election; BJP slams it as ‘appeasement politics’ for minority votes, while Congress defends it as rightful representation.
Former India Cricket Captain Azharuddin Finally Begins Innings As Telangana Cabinet Minister
Ex-India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin sworn in as Telangana minister, hails Congress leadership for ‘full circle’ moment amid BJP’s sharp criticism. He contested in 2023 bypoll from Jubilee Hills and lost to Bharat Rashtra Samithi's Maganti Gopinath by over 16,000 votes.
Summary
After several electoral losses, Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister in the Telangana government on October 31.
Administered by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma at Raj Bhavan, the oath-taking ceremony marked a "full circle" moment for the Padma Shri awardee, who quipped, "I made my cricketing debut on December 31, and today, on October 31, I take oath as minister—31 is indeed my lucky number!"
Azharuddin transitioned from leading India to '99 Tests with flair to active politics with the Congress in 2009. The former captain's political journey has been a long one. In that year, he won the Lok Sabha election seat from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. He was shifted to Tonk-Sawai Madhopur Parliamentary Constituency in Rajasthan in 2014. From there, he contested the 2014 general election but lost to the BJP candidate Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria. In 2018, he was appointed working President of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). In 2023, he lost the by poll from Jubilee Hills to Bharat Rashtra Samithi's Maganti Gopinath by over 16,000 votes.
Speaking on the current Cabinet appointment, he wrote on X: "Honoured and humbled... My heartfelt gratitude to Shri Mallikarjun Kharge Ji, Smt Sonia Gandhi Ji, Shri Rahul Gandhi Ji, Smt Priyanka Gandhi Ji, and Shri KC Venugopal Ji for their trust and guidance. My sincere thanks to our Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri A. Revanth Reddy Garu..." He pledged to serve Telangana's people "with dedication, integrity, and purpose."
Azharuddin induction into Telengana cabinet fills a long-vacant slot and introduces the state's first Muslim minister under the Congress regime, a move hailed by party workers as inclusive governance. "Muslims have all the right to get representation," echoed Congress voices, amid celebrations from the community.
However, the timing—just 11 days before the high-stakes Jubilee Hills Assembly bypoll on November 11—has sparked a political firestorm. Speculation is rife that Azharuddin, the Telangana Congress Working President, could contest from the upscale Hyderabad constituency. BJP leaders pounced, branding it "institutionalized vote chori" and a blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct, accusing CM Revanth Reddy of panic-driven minority appeasement.
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Undeterred, Azharuddin dismissed religion-based narratives: "My appointment is not linked to my religion." Telangana Minister Vivek Venkatswamy hit back at critics, "BJP is creating controversy because the candidate is Muslim... Our Muslim brothers are happy with this representation.
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