HYDERABAD: Former Indian cricketer and senior congress leader Mohammad Azharuddin has been sworn in as a minister in the Telangana cabinet. Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office to him at a function held at the Raj Bhavan Friday morning. His induction fills a long-standing vacancy and provides the Congress government with its first Muslim representation in the cabinet. The opposition in Telangana alleged that this move by the government is aiming at the bypolls in Jubilee Hills constituency on November 11. Azharuddin is not a member of the assembly presently.

Jubilee Hills assembly constituency has a Muslim population of about 30 percent. The opposition BJP has alleged that Azhar's entry into the cabinet is a violation of the model code of conduct. They have

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