Former Cricketer Azharuddin Likely To Become Telangana Minister, Cabinet Induction On Friday: Report

Mohammad Azharuddin is likely to join the Telangana Cabinet, filling the minority representation gap in Revanth Reddy's government. This move is strategically timed for the Jubilee Hills bypoll, where Muslim voters are crucial.

File Photo of Former Indian cricket captain and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin

Source : PTI

Congress leader and former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin is expected to be inducted into the Telangana Cabinet shortly, reports indicated on Wednesday. This potential appointment comes at a critical time, as the Congress government currently has no representation from minority communities in the 15-member Cabinet, which is led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

The maximum allowed strength of the Telangana Cabinet is 18 members, meaning there is still "room for three more members" to be added, given the Telangana Legislative Assembly has 119 legislators.

If confirmed, the former cricketer will be the first minister from a minority community to serve in the current Revanth Reddy-led Cabinet.

Strategic Timing Linked to Jubilee Hills Bypoll, Bihar Election

The move to appoint Azharuddin to the ministry is widely viewed as a crucial political manoeuvre directly linked to the ongoing Jubilee Hills Bypoll. In this constituency, the Congress party is locked in a fierce contest, and the outcome is likely to be heavily influenced by the "over a lakh Muslim voters" who are seen as a decisive factor.

The need for a bypoll arose following the death of sitting BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year after he suffered a heart attack.

Sources familiar with the discussions confirmed the decision to news agency PTI, stating, "There has been a request from Telangana Congress to the party high command to induct Azharuddin into the cabinet, as currently there is no representation of minorities in it. The AICC also approved Azharuddin’s name. The swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held the day after tomorrow (Friday)."

While the immediate impact is local, another Congress leader suggested that the All India Congress Committee’s (AICC) support for Azharuddin's induction may also be guided by broader national political strategy, specifically focusing on the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, PTI reported. Muslim voters constitute a "significant bloc" in the eastern state of Bihar, making any positive move regarding minority representation in Telangana politically advantageous on a national level.

Azharuddin was nominated as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota by the Telangana government in August last week. However, the clearance for this appointment by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma is still pending.

Azharuddin had previously sought to represent the Jubilee Hills Assembly segment in the 2023 elections but was unsuccessful.

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