Mohammed Azharuddin Appointed as Minorities Welfare Minister in Telangana Cabinet

Azharuddin currently serves as the working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC).

Hyderabad:

Mohammed Azharuddin, who recently took oath as a minister in the Telangana Cabinet, was assigned the portfolios of Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises on Tuesday.

Governor Jishnu Dev Varma officially allocated these responsibilities to Azharuddin, the Congress leader and former Indian cricket captain.

Previously, the Minorities Welfare portfolio was managed by Adluri Laxman Kumar, the Scheduled Caste Development and Tribal Welfare Minister, while Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy oversaw the Public Enterprises Department.

The portfolio allocation comes four days after Azharuddin's induction into the Council of Ministers.

The governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to Azharuddin during a ceremony at Raj Bhavan on October 31.

At 62, Azharuddin becomes the first Muslim representative in the Revanth Reddy-led Cabinet.

In August this year, the State Cabinet decided to nominate Azharuddin as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor's quota.

His induction into the Cabinet precedes the November 11 by-election for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency.

The former MP, who unsuccessfully contested from his home constituency in 2023, had expressed interest in running again. However, the Congress leadership opted to field Naveen Yadav instead, promising Azharuddin a Cabinet position.

All prominent Muslim candidates of the Congress party, including Azharuddin, experienced defeat in the 2023 Assembly elections.

Azharuddin's appointment as a minister is viewed as the Congress party's strategic effort to connect with Muslim voters, who constitute approximately 30 percent of the electorate in Jubilee Hills.

Besides being the working president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), Azharuddin also serves as a member of its Political Affairs Committee.

With Azharuddin's swearing-in, the State Cabinet membership has increased to 16.

The Cabinet was initially formed on December 7, 2023, with the swearing-in of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and 11 ministers.

Following a considerable delay, the Cabinet expanded on June 8 with the addition of three ministers.

The State Cabinet can include a maximum of 18 ministers, including the Chief Minister.