Former Team India Captain Set to Contest Elections Again After 2023 Defeat

The Telangana government has taken a big decision and decided to nominate former Indian cricket team captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Professor Kodandaram Reddy to the Legislative Council (MLC). The names were approved in the cabinet meeting. Discussion has intensified in the sports world and political circles regarding this decision. Meanwhile, Azharuddin has expressed gratitude to the party high command.

Mohammad Azharuddin wrote in a post on the social media platform X, "I am extremely honored and humbled by the cabinet's decision to nominate me for the post of MLC under the Governor's quota in Telangana. Heartfelt thanks to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and KC Venugopal for their trust and blessings."

He further wrote, "I am grateful to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu and Cabinet, TPCC President Mahesh Goud, and Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Nataraj for their guidance and support. I am committed to serving my state with honesty and dedication." Earlier, Azharuddin's name had also come up as a candidate in the by-election to be held on the Jubilee Hills seat in Telangana, but he did not get the ticket. However, considering the political equations, the party has now decided to send him to the Legislative Council.

Azharuddin became a Lok Sabha MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh in 2009. In 2014, he got a ticket from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur in Rajasthan, but he lost. In 2018, he was made the working president of Telangana Congress. In 2023, he got a ticket from Jubilee Hills, but he lost the election. BRS leader Maganti Gopinath defeated him in the election. Later, the Jubilee Hills seat fell vacant after the death of MLA Maganti Gopinath, after which by-elections were to be held. Azharuddin had staked a claim to contest the by-election from this seat.