Hyderabad, November 5, 2025: Former Indian cricket team captain and senior Congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin has been allotted two key portfolios — Minority Welfare and Public Enterprises — in the Telangana Cabinet headed by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
The allocation was formalized through an order issued by the Chief Secretary following approval from Governor Jishnu Dev Varma. Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister on October 31, 2025.
The Minority Welfare portfolio was earlier handled by Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar, while Public Enterprises was under the charge of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy himself. With Azharuddin’s induction, the total strength of the Telangana Cabinet rises to 16, leaving room for two more ministers, as the maximum permissible number is 18.
Azharuddin’s appointment is seen as a strategic move by the Congress party to strengthen its outreach to the Muslim community, particularly ahead of the upcoming Jubilee Hills by-election scheduled for November 11. The constituency has a sizable Muslim voter base, and the Congress hopes Azharuddin’s inclusion will enhance its appeal.
He also becomes the first Muslim minister in the Revanth Reddy government. However, Azharuddin is not currently a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Legislative Council (MLC). Having unsuccessfully contested from the Jubilee Hills seat in the 2023 Assembly elections, he has now been nominated for an MLC position under the Governor’s quota. The Governor’s approval is awaited.
Under the Constitution, a minister who is not a member of the legislature must secure a seat in either the Assembly or the Council within six months to continue in office.
Political observers view Azharuddin’s induction as both a symbolic and strategic decision, designed to project inclusivity and strengthen the Congress’s social coalition in Telangana as it prepares for upcoming local and national challenges.
