KTR takes potshots at Congress, says Azharuddin "left in the middle" ahead of Jubilee Hills bypoll

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 20 (ANI): Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao has taken potshots at the Congress government in the state over its decision to nominate cricketer-turned-politician Mohammad Azharuddin to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota ahead of Jubilee Hills bypoll, saying that he has been kept “hanging in the middle”.

He said the Congress has denied him nomination to the Jubilee Hills seat where bypolls will be held as the sitting MLA has passed away. Azharuddin lost from the seat in the last assembly polls.

“In 2023, Congress gave a ticket to Azharuddin against Gopinath, but he was removed and told to become an MLC. He hasn’t become one yet… In July 2023, when KCR was Chief Minister, he nominated two leaders, Shravanbhai and Satyanarayan… The BJP governor rejected the file… Soon after, elections were announced, prompting us to go to the polls… After we lost the elections, our two leaders then went to court over the case, claiming the Governor’s actions were wrong. We were told to get the MLC seat, but didn’t receive it… When the case was in the Supreme Court, the government lacked the authority to make the two MLCs,” KT Rama Rao said.

“Despite this, they nominated Amer Ali Khan and Khudandaram and sent the file. The new Governor arrived, and since Congress and the BJP are allies, they talked and signed. What happened next? Our legal battle continued in the Supreme Court. Two months ago, the Court ruled that nominating them was wrong,” the BRS leader added.

He said the case is pending, and the Supreme Court has stated that no nominations will be made until the final decision is reached.

“Azharuddin cannot be nominated…the file remains unsigned as the matter is in the Supreme Court, leaving Azharuddin hanging in the middle… They are making him a goat of sacrifice,” KTR said.

“I don’t want to say much, Azhar Bhai is also my friend, he is a good man. He played cricket well,” he added

The BRS leader also attacked Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The Telangana Cabinet last month cleared the names of Prof M Kodandaram and Azharuddin for nomination to the Legislative Council under Governor’s quota.

The by-election to the Jubilee Hills seat has been necessitated by the death of sitting MLA Maganti Gopinath of the BRS. Gopinath, who defeated his nearest rival, Azharuddin, in 2023, died on June 8. (ANI)

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