New Delhi. Former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin has been made a minister in the Telangana government. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office and secrecy to Azharuddin. With the inclusion of Mohammad Azharuddin, the number of ministers in the Revanth Reddy government of Telangana has now increased to 16. According to the number of members of the Assembly, two more ministers can be made. The appointment of Azharuddin as a minister is being linked to the by-election to be held on November 11 in Jubilee Hills Assembly of Hyderabad. It is believed that due to the large number of Muslim voters in Jubilee Hills, they can play a decisive role and that is why a Muslim minister has been included in the cabinet.
#WATCH Hyderabad, Telangana: Congress leader and former Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin takes oath as Minister at Raj Bhavan. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administers the oath to him.
(Video Source: I&PR Telangana) pic.twitter.com/oGRIydcCVe
— ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025
Earlier, BJP had also filed a complaint in the Election Commission against Congress in this matter. BJP has termed the inclusion of Mohammad Azharuddin in the cabinet just before the by-elections as a violation of the code of conduct. BJP says that in this way Congress has worked to woo the Muslim voters of Jubilee Hills. Let us tell you that Mohammad Azharuddin had contested the elections from Jubilee Hills Assembly in the year 2023 on Congress ticket but he lost. BRS leader Maganti Gopinath won from there. Due to the demise of MLA Mangti Gopinath in June this year, by-election is being held in Jubilee Hills.
Recently, Congress elected Azharuddin to the Telangana Legislative Council from the Governor quota. Azharuddin is also the working president of Telangana Congress. Mohammad Azharuddin started his political innings in 2009 by joining Congress. He has also been a Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad, UP. Talking about Azharuddin’s cricket career, he made his debut for Team India in the year 1984 and till 2000, he played 99 Test matches and 334 ODI matches. His cricket career came to a halt after his name appeared in the match fixing scandal.