Mohammed Azharuddin Sworn In as Telangana Minister Ahead of Jubilee Hills Bye-election

Hyderabad, Oct 2025 : Former Indian cricket captain and senior Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana Cabinet on Friday, marking a significant political elevation for the veteran sportsman-turned-politician. Governor Jishnu Dev Varma administered the oath of office and secrecy at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan, where several top state leaders were present.

Azharuddin, who took the oath in the name of Allah, concluded the formalities with spirited slogans of “Jai Telangana” and “Jai Hind,” reflecting both regional pride and national sentiment. The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers, Legislative Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, Legislative Council Chairman G. Sukhender Reddy, and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud.

Among those present was his son, Mohammed Asaduddin, recently appointed as a TPCC general secretary, underscoring the family’s growing influence inside the state unit of the Congress party.

Portfolio Likely to Be Minority Welfare

The State Cabinet had earlier decided, in August, to nominate Azharuddin as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota. He is widely expected to be allotted the Minority Welfare portfolio, a move seen as strategically significant for the ruling party.

Azharuddin currently serves as a working president of the TPCC and is also a member of the party’s Political Affairs Committee. A former MP from Uttar Pradesh’s Moradabad constituency, he has been active in Telangana politics since 2018, when he was appointed a working president of the state Congress unit.

Induction Ahead of Key Bye-election

His induction into the Cabinet comes at a crucial time, ahead of the November 11 bye-election to the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency. The 62-year-old had contested unsuccessfully from this seat in the 2023 Assembly elections and was keen to run again. However, the Congress leadership fielded Naveen Yadav instead, assuring Azharuddin of a Cabinet berth—a promise now fulfilled.

With his swearing-in, the strength of the State Cabinet has increased to 16, making him the first Muslim minister in Revanth Reddy’s government. This development is significant, as the ruling party has been under pressure for not having a single Muslim minister since coming to power nearly two years ago. All major Muslim candidates of the Congress, including Azharuddin himself, faced defeat in the 2023 polls, leading to criticism from sections of the community.

Azharuddin’s elevation is therefore being viewed as an attempt by the Congress to strengthen its outreach to Muslim voters, who constitute roughly 30 per cent of the electorate in Jubilee Hills—an influential vote bank in the upcoming bye-election.

Political Reactions and Model Code Concerns

The decision has, however, drawn objections from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party urged the Election Commission to block the Cabinet expansion, alleging that the move was intended to appease a particular section of voters during an active poll schedule. The BJP has termed it a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, questioning the timing of Azharuddin’s induction.

A Long Path to Cabinet Role

The current Cabinet was initially formed on December 7, 2023, with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and 11 ministers taking charge. After months of delay, it was expanded on June 8, when three more ministers were inducted, although three positions were left vacant at the time.

Under constitutional provisions, the Telangana Cabinet can have a maximum of 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister. With Azharuddin’s entry, two vacancies now remain.

Azharuddin’s political career began after he joined the Congress in 2009, the same year he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Moradabad. He later contested from Tonk–Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan in 2014 but lost. In Telangana, he has remained an important campaigner and organisational figure, even during elections in which he was not fielded as a candidate.

His appointment as a minister marks a new chapter in his political journey—one that the Congress hopes will strengthen its electoral prospects and improve its standing among minority communities in the state.