Azharuddin takes oath as Telangana MLC

Hyderabad, Apr 27: Mohammad Azharuddin and retired professor M Kodandaram took oath as Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs) under the Governor’s quota in Hyderabad on Monday.

The oath was administered by Gutha Sukhender Reddy in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, cabinet ministers and other leaders.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Azharuddin thanked Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla for the opportunity.

He said the chief minister had undertaken several welfare measures for minorities and added that he wanted to work for minorities as well as other sections of society in his role as minister.

Responding to earlier criticism by the Bharat Rashtra Samithi that he had been made a minister only to attract Muslim votes in the Jubilee Hills bypoll, Azharuddin said his nomination was a “slap” to such remarks.

When asked whether he would have had to resign as minister if the Governor had not approved his nomination before the end of April, Azharuddin said he had full confidence in the chief minister’s leadership.

Kodandaram said he would work with commitment for public welfare.

Governor Shukla approved the nominations on April 26 after a prolonged delay. Azharuddin, who was sworn in as Minority Welfare Minister on October 31 last year, was required to become a member of the legislature within six months, by April 30.

Kodandaram, a prominent face of the Telangana statehood movement, had earlier been nominated in 2024. However, the matter remained pending in court after challenges were filed by former nominees Sravan Dasoju and Kurra Satyanarayana.