Former cricketer and Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin set to take oath as Telangana minister today

Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin will be sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet on Friday, as per reports. His induction comes amid political buzz, arriving just days before the high-stakes Jubilee Hills assembly bypoll scheduled for November 11.

The move ends a long-standing vacancy in the cabinet and marks the first time the Congress government will have Muslim representation. However, critics have accused the ruling party of timing the decision for electoral advantage, pointing to the sizeable 30% Muslim voter base in the Jubilee Hills constituency.

The BJP has reportedly filed a formal complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), alleging that Azharuddin’s appointment violates the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The party contends that giving a ministerial post to someone who recently sought a ticket from the same constituency is an attempt to sway voters during the ongoing election period.

In response, Congress leaders dismissed the charge as hypocritical, noting that the BJP had itself appointed an election candidate as minister in Rajasthan a candidate who later lost to a Congress contender.

Interestingly, Azharuddin’s ministerial induction comes before he has been officially appointed as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). The state cabinet had earlier recommended Azharuddin and Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) chief M Kodandaram for two MLC seats under the Governor’s quota. However, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma has yet to approve the nominations due to a pending Supreme Court case concerning earlier appointments to these seats.

As per constitutional norms, Azharuddin must secure an MLC seat within six months of taking the oath to continue as a minister.