In a notable development for Telangana politics, former cricketing legend and prominent Congress leader Mohammed Azharuddin officially joined the State Cabinet. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma during a special ceremony held at the historic Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad on Friday, October 31, 2025.
His appointment marks him as the 16th minister in the current State government, and anticipation is high regarding which key portfolio he will be assigned. This induction follows the Cabinet’s earlier approval in August, which saw Azharuddin, alongside Kodandaram, nominated to the Legislative Council through the Governor’s quota.
However, Azharuddin’s path to the Cabinet has not been without controversy. Opposition parties quickly voiced strong objections to his proposed induction. Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit claimed the appointment was a breach of the Model Code of Conduct, currently active due to the Jubilee Hills Assembly byelections. They further asserted that the Congress government’s move was an attempt to court minority votes. Echoing these sentiments, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao described the decision as a desperate last-minute strategy to secure the support of minority communities, who constitute a significant voting bloc in the constituency.