Ex-Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin Takes Oath as Telangana Minister

New Delhi: Former Indian cricket captain and now a key figure in the Congress party, Mohammad Azharuddin took oath as cabinet minister in the Telangana government on Friday. Before that, officials at the Raj Bhavan released a statement saying that Azharuddin would make his oath as a minister on early Friday morning, with Governor Jishnu Dev Varma leading the ceremony.

The news of Azharuddin's inclusion in the Telangana government team stirred up big trouble, as leaders from the BJP strongly pushed back against it. "Handing a government role to Mohd Azharuddin is just a trick to pull in votes from certain groups ahead of the Jubilee Hills side election and a clear break of the fair play rules," said BJP's Shashidhar Reddy.

Why Did the BJP Kick Up Such a Fuss?

Reddy explained that even if the fair play rules did not cover all of Hyderabad city, bringing Azharuddin into the state team could harm the side election in Jubilee Hills area, where the ex-cricketer lives and votes. Reddy added that Azharuddin had run for office in the Jubilee Hills area during the 2023 state vote. "Giving him this role shows bad motives from the Congress to draw in specific voters in that Jubilee Hills vote area," he added.

What Was the Congress Party's Comeback?

In response to the BJP's complaints, a speaker for the Telangana Congress group, Syed Nizamuddin, blamed the BJP and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Thursday for teaming up to block Azharuddin's entry into Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s team. He called the gripes a push to keep minority groups out of power spots.

How Might This Change Things in the Local Vote?

The Telangana state house has 119 members. Adding the ex-cricketer to the team looks like a key move, since the Congress group is pushing hard in the Jubilee Hills side vote, where more than 100,000 Muslim voters might tip the scales. Reports say the Telangana Congress asked top Congress bosses to add Azharuddin to the team, pointing out that no minority members are in it right now. The main Congress office also okayed Azharuddin's name.

Why Does This Matter for Bigger Plans?

Now with this addition, the ex-cricketer becomes the first from a minority group in Revanth Reddy’s team. Another Congress voice hinted that the main Congress office might favor Azharuddin's entry thinking of the coming Bihar state vote, where Muslim voters make up a big chunk in that eastern area. Azharuddin got picked as a member of the upper house (MLC) through the Governor's share by the Telangana team in late August. He lost his run in the Jubilee Hills vote area in the 2023 state race.