Hyderabad, Nov 10 (NationPress) Mohammed Azharuddin officially assumed his role as the Minister for Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises in Telangana on Monday. The former cricket captain, who took the oath of office on October 31, commenced his duties at the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Secretariat.

He received congratulations from notable figures including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, state Congress President Mahesh Kumar Goud, and other prominent ministers such as Uttam Kumar Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar.

In a statement to the media, Azharuddin reflected on his journey, admitting that he never imagined transitioning from cricket to politics, stating, "I always envisioned becoming a cricket coach, but life led me on a different path."

He expressed gratitude for reaching this position, attributing his success to the blessings of Almighty Allah and his family. He thanked the Congress central leadership and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for the opportunity, pledging to fulfill his responsibilities with integrity.

Azharuddin emphasized his commitment to addressing outstanding issues concerning minorities welfare. He reminisced about receiving an invitation to run for Parliament from the Moradabad constituency shortly after entering politics, acknowledging the affection and support from the local populace.

He further mentioned his attempt to contest the Lok Sabha from Sawai Madhopur in 2014, where he received significant backing despite an unsuccessful outcome.

At 62, Azharuddin stands as the first Muslim representative in the cabinet led by Revanth Reddy. Earlier in August, the state Cabinet had nominated him as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) under the Governor’s quota.

His induction into the cabinet comes just ahead of the November 11 by-election for the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency. Having previously contested unsuccessfully from his home constituency in 2023, Azharuddin was eager to run again; however, the Congress leadership opted for Naveen Yadav instead, promising him a place in the Cabinet.

All significant Muslim candidates from Congress, including Azharuddin, faced defeats in the 2023 Assembly elections. He currently serves as the Working President of the state Congress and is a member of its Political Affairs Committee.