Azharuddin in Telangana Cabinet: BJP Calls It MCC Violation, KTR Mocks Congress

The Telangana BJP has condemned the Congress government’s decision to induct former cricketer and Lok Sabha MP Mohammad Azharuddin into the Cabinet while the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) is in force for the Jubilee Hills bypoll.

A delegation comprising MLA Payal Shankar, former minister Marri Shashidhar Reddy, and BJP’s legal team reportedly met Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Sudharshan Reddy on October 30 (Thursday). They submitted a complaint alleging that Azharuddin’s induction into the Cabinet violates the election code.

BRS Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) also reacted to the development, claiming that the Congress government was “pulling out all stops” to win the bypoll.

In his trademark sarcastic tone, the former IT Minister posted on X (formerly Twitter): “I guess desperate times call for desperate measures. After two years in government, looks like the Congress party is finally waking up to ground realities.”

He added, “Promising the moon to cine workers, inducting Azharuddin into the Cabinet, and ministers desperately running around Hyderabad gullies like never before.”

KTR further quipped, “Let me reiterate, only when the Congress loses its deposit in the Jubilee Hills by-election will it start implementing the six guarantees and 420 promises made in 2023.”

As per reports, Azharuddin was widely tipped to be the Congress candidate for the Jubilee Hills bypoll. However, with the Revanth Reddy government naming Naveen Yadav instead, the move to nominate Azharuddin as MLC under the Governor’s quota and prepare for his Cabinet induction is seen as an attempt at damage control.