Azharuddin has not yet 'officially' joined Congress: APCC

Amid reports that former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin may contest the coming Lok Sabha elections on a Congress ticket, the party on Friday said the cricketer has not yet "officially" joined it but only expressed his desire to do so.

"He has not yet officially joined the Congress," Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas told reporters here.

Asked about Azharuddin's candidature, Srinivas said, "the party will decide where he should contest (the elections) from, once he formally joins the party."

He said Azharuddin had only "expressed his desire" to join the party.

The former cricketer met chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, AICC general secretary Veerappa Moily and PCC chief Srinivas at the Lake View Guest House here on Thursday, amidst speculation that he was joining the Congress to contest the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat in the ensuing election.

Meanwhile, Srinivas has asked presidents of district and city Congress committees in the state to forward list of aspirants for the ensuing Assembly polls by February 15.

Lok Sabha and Assembly polls are due simultaneously in Andhra Pradesh.

"One expects at least 3-4 aspirants from each Assembly segment. In some cases there could be more number of aspirants. The PCC Election Committee will scrutinise the list on February 25 and forward it to the AICC Election Committee on March 1," he added.

Saying they would indeed "drop" some sitting MLAs, the State Congress chief, however, declined to specify the number.