Mohammad Azharuddin, the former Indian cricket team captain, will join the Congress and contest from a prestigious Lok Sabha seat either in Maha-rashtra or Uttar Pradesh.Azharuddin met the Congress president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, last week and conveyed his willingness to contest on a Congress ticket.
The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, said Azharuddin had a close rapport with the Congress and confirmed that he would join the party. "He is friend of our chief whip, Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy," Dr Reddy said."Both of them played some cricket matches also. We welcome Azharuddin."
Azharuddin may not be able to contest from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, which is the fortress of the Congress ally MIM. Azharuddin opted for a seat outside AP.Azharuddin had denied earlier reports that he might either join or campaign for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), and contest as the mayoral candidate for the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.This time, however, Azharuddin did not deny asking for a Congress ticket, saying merely that he had "nothing to say at the moment."Azharuddin runs an event management firm and a health club. He has largely kept a low profile since his exit from cricket.
Sources in the Congress said the party general secretary and AP-incharge, Mr Veerappa Moily, was in touch with Azharuddin and "talks are on to take him into the party and use his services in a nationwide campaign."The MIM responded cautiously to the development. "The beauty of democracy is that any Indian citizen can contest from any constituency," said Mr Asaduddin Owaisi, MIM president and Hyderabad MP.
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