Former Indian cricket captain and Congress leader, Mohammad Azharuddin, is likely to be inducted into the Telangana Cabinet ahead of the Jubilee Hills by-poll, said sources on Wednesday.
The development is being seen as a significant step for the Congress party, which has been in a head-to-head battle for the Jubilee Hills seat, a by-poll for which was announced after the untimely death of incumbent BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath in June this year, following a heart attack.
Jubilee Hills has more than a lakh Muslim voters, and could play a decisive role for the Congress.
The present Cabinet comprises 15 members, including Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy. However, with no representation from minorities and there being room for three more members in the Cabinet, as per provisions, Azharuddin might become the first minister from a minority community in Revanth Reddy’s cabinet, if inducted.
Also Read: Jubilee Hills bypoll: Revanth, KTR to begin campaign from Oct 31
The Telangana Legislative Assembly has 119 legislators.
“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),” sources privy to the matter said.
Another Congress leader suggested that the AICC’s support for Azharuddin’s induction may also be driven by the upcoming Bihar Assembly polls, where Muslim voters constitute a significant bloc in the eastern state.
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, Governor Jishnu Dev Varma is yet to clear the appointment. He also unsuccessfully contested from Jubilee Hills Assembly segment in 2023 polls.
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