Former India captain Mohd Azharuddin was sworn in as a Telangana minister on Oct 31, 2025; oath at Raj Bhavan by Governor Jishnu Dev Varma; must join MLC within six months.
Mohd Azharuddin Takes Oath as Telangana Minister at Raj Bhavan
Former India cricket captain Mohd Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet on October 31, 2025, in a ceremony at Raj Bhavan where Governor Jishnu Dev Varma administered the oath of office and secrecy. The induction presided over by CM A Revanth Reddy and attended by senior leaders, assembly speaker and civil servants, crowns Azharuddin’s transition from sport to frontline politics. He took the oath in English invoking “Allah” and raised “Jai Telangana” and “Jai Hind” slogans after being sworn in.
Azharuddin, born in Hyderabad on February 8, 1963, rose from modest beginnings to national cricketing fame, scoring centuries in his first three Test matches and captaining India through the late 1980s and 1990s. After retiring he joined the Congress in 2009 and later served as working president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee.
The Congress high command approved Azharuddin’s cabinet induction, citing the absence of minority representation in the state cabinet and his mass appeal. Political analysts say the move could strengthen Congress’s urban outreach and consolidate minority support in Telangana, while critics point to procedural and legal hurdles.
