Why Mohammad Azharuddin's induction into Telangana Cabinet is causing stir
What's the story
Former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy's cabinet on Friday. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office and secrecy to the former Indian cricket captain in front of key leaders, including Reddy, at Raj Bhavan. This is the second expansion of the Cabinet since Reddy took charge two years ago.
Political backlash
BJP opposes Azharuddin's induction, calls it 'mala fide intention'
Ahead of the induction, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opposed this move, alleging it is an attempt to influence voters, with the Jubilee Hills by-election scheduled for November 11. Telangana BJP chief election commission affairs committee chairman Marri Shashidhar Reddy met Chief Electoral Officer C Sudarshan Reddy to request a halt to the swearing-in ceremony. It is "nothing but an attempt to woo and garner the votes...and a gross violation of model code of conduct," Reddy said.
BJP
Arguments by BJP
Reddy further mentioned that Azharuddin contested as a candidate from the Jubilee Hills constituency in the 2023 assembly elections. "So, offering him a ministry is nothing but a mala fide intention of the Congress to woo a section of voters in the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency," he said. Reddy argued that offering Azharuddin a ministry was a "mala fide intention of the Congress" to win over voters in the Jubilee Hills constituency, where he is a voter.
Counter-arguments
Congress accuses BJP of divisive politics
The Congress has defended its decision to induct Azharuddin into the cabinet, accusing the BJP of playing divisive politics. Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy said that the BJP was "unable to tolerate" a prominent minority leader being included in the cabinet. He also alleged that both the BJP and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) were conspiring to stop this induction as part of a "joint conspiracy."
Accusations
Congress points out BJP's cabinet expansion in other states
The Congress leader also pointed out that the BJP had expanded its cabinet in other states before by-elections, citing Surender Pal Singh's appointment as a minister in Rajasthan 20 days ahead of the Sri Karanpur by-election. He accused the BJP of hypocrisy for opposing Azharuddin's induction on communal grounds. Another Congress spokesperson Addanki Dayakar accused the BJP of communal bias against Azharuddin, who he said brought global fame to Hyderabad as India's cricket captain and inspired generations.
MLC
What Azharuddin said after induction
After his induction, Azharuddin said, "This (becoming a minister) has nothing to do with the Jubilee by-election. These are two separate matters and should not be linked. Whatever responsibility I am given, I will work honestly for the upliftment of the oppressed people." The Jubilee Hills bypoll was necessitated after BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath died of a heart attack in June this year.