A significant political row has erupted in Telangana following the proposed induction of senior Congress leader and former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin into the state cabinet, headed by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. Azharuddin is scheduled to be formally inducted at a brief ceremony at Raj Bhavan on Friday noon, with Governor Jishnu Dev Varma administering the oath of office and secrecy.
The move, however, has been strongly contested by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which alleges it violates the model code of conduct currently in force for the Jubilee Hills assembly by-election, scheduled for November 11.
BJP’s Objection: Wooing Voters
A delegation of the Telangana BJP, led by the party’s election commission affairs committee chairman Marri Shashidhar Reddy, met with Chief Electoral Officer C Sudarshan Reddy to formally request that the swearing-in ceremony be stalled.
The BJP’s core argument is that the timing of the cabinet expansion is a clear attempt to influence the upcoming bypoll, where the former cricketer is a voter and was a candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections.
- BJP Allegation: Shashidhar Reddy stated: “The proposal to give cabinet berth to Mohd Azharuddin is nothing but an attempt to woo and garner the votes of a section of the voters in the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election and a gross violation of model code of conduct.”
- Focus on Jubilee Hills: Despite the model code of conduct not being applicable to the entire city of Hyderabad, the BJP argues that the decision will “adversely affect the by-election” in Jubilee Hills, where Muslims comprise a significant section of the electorate (around 25% of voters).
Congress Defends the Decision
The ruling Congress party has vehemently defended the move, accusing the BJP of communal politics and hypocrisy.
- Minority Representation: Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson and Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy alleged the BJP was “unable to tolerate” the Congress’s decision to include a prominent minority leader in the cabinet. Azharuddin will be the lone minister from the minority community in the Revanth Reddy cabinet, which currently has three vacancies.
- Communal Bias Accusation: Another spokesperson, Addanki Dayakar, accused the BJP of communal bias, stating that Azharuddin “served the nation with distinction as India’s cricket captain” but is being targeted “solely because he belongs to a minority community.”
- Hypocrisy Charge: The Congress also pointed out that the BJP had previously conducted cabinet expansion in other states ahead of by-elections, citing the example of Surender Pal Singh, who was appointed a minister in Rajasthan just 20 days before a by-election in December 2023.
The Legislative Hurdle
An additional complication for Azharuddin’s new ministerial role is his current status as a non-legislator.
- Pending MLC Nomination: Azharuddin is not currently a member of either the Assembly or the State Legislative Council. The Revanth Reddy government had recommended his name for an MLC post under the Governor’s quota in August, but the file, which also included Prof M Kodandaram, is pending with Raj Bhavan due to an ongoing case before the Supreme Court regarding gubernatorial nominations.
- Constitutional Mandate: The Congress leadership noted that if the court verdict is delayed or goes against the state, the government will have to find an alternative route to secure his legislative berth. According to constitutional provisions, a non-legislator inducted as a minister must become a member of the legislature within six months.