Former cricketer and Congress leader Md. Azharuddin was sworn in as a Minister in the Telangana Cabinet on Friday. 

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma administered the oath of office and secrecy at a ceremony held at Raj Bhavan in Hyderabad.

Azharuddin, whose name along with that of Kodandaram had been cleared by the Cabinet in August for nomination to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota, became the 16th Minister in the State Cabinet.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Azharuddin declined to comment on opposition criticism over his induction. 

He said it was unnecessary to respond to Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy’s remarks and the political motives attributed to his appointment ahead of the Jubilee Hills bypoll. 

He described the allegations against him as “mere allegations”, adding that nothing had been proven in the cases filed against him. 

He also said he was ready to take on any portfolio and serve in Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s Cabinet.

Following reports of his proposed induction, opposition parties raised objections. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s State leaders said the move violated the Model Code of Conduct currently in force for the Jubilee Hills Assembly byelection, and alleged that it was aimed at appeasing minority voters. 

Bharat Rashtra Samithi working president K.T. Rama Rao termed the move a last-ditch effort by the Congress to woo the minority electorate, which forms a significant portion of the constituency.

#Agencies