The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed that the inclusion of former cricketer and MLC Mohd. Azharuddin in the state cabinet is violating the code of conduct of the electoral model currently in place for the Jubilee Hills bypoll scheduled for November 11.
Senior BJP leaders, including Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and Telangana party president N. Ramchander Rao, told the media in separate briefings that the ruling Congress party had stooped by fielding Mr. Azharuddin only to appease minority voters. “In the last 22 months, there has not been a single minister from a minority community, and just before the elections, they suddenly remember that,” Mr. Reddy said.
He further accused the Congress and BRS parties of practicing “false secularism” and the politics of appeasement, claiming that they were acting as a protective shield for the Majlis party. “Why is the Majlis party not running in the by-elections? Under whose pressure or for whose baggage did they hire their Congress candidate?” he asked, alleging that Majlis leaders were threatening opponents and pressuring the government to file false cases.
In addition, Mr. Kishan Reddy criticized the government for not taking decisive action against organized networks involved in illegal slaughter and cross-border movement of cattle and demanded stricter enforcement of existing laws and adherence to national cattle protection guidelines.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Payal Shankar and former Minister Marri Shashidhar Reddy met State Election Commissioner Sudardhan Reddy to formally complain about the induction of Mr. Azharuddin, alleging that he violated the model code of conduct.
Intimidation?
Separately, Mr. Ramchander Rao accused the Congress government of intimidating managements of private colleges by ordering the Vigilance Department to investigate the alleged misuse of fee funds. He called it a tactic to further delay the payment of arrears amounting to thousands of millions of crowns. He demanded the immediate release of ₹12,000 crore in pending fees and reiterated the party’s support for the state-wide bandh, which had been called upon by private college managements to press for their legitimate demands.
Published – 30 Oct 2025 19:59 IST
