The Congress’s induction of the former cricketer into the ministry is being seen as a calculated political move ahead of the high-stakes Jubilee Hills bypoll, where over a lakh Muslim voters could swing the outcome.
Hyderabad: Congress leader and former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin has been sworn in as a minister in the Telangana Cabinet on Friday, official sources confirmed.
In a brief ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office to former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin in the presence of Chief Minister and other senior leaders.
With Azharuddin’s induction, the Telangana Cabinet now has 16 ministers, leaving two berths vacant as the state is permitted a total of 18 ministers based on Assembly strength.
The former cricketer’s elevation is being viewed as a strategic move by the Congress, which is locked in a fierce battle for the Jubilee Hills bypoll — a constituency where over one lakh Muslim voters are expected to play a decisive role.
The bypoll was necessitated by the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year following a heart attack. Azharuddin, who was nominated to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota in late August, is still awaiting formal approval from Governor Verma.
A former MP from Moradabad, Azharuddin had contested unsuccessfully from the Jubilee Hills Assembly seat in the 2023 elections.
Published: 31 Oct 2025, 01:00 pm IST
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