The move may be aimed at putting out fires within the Congress ahead of the election.
The Telangana Congress in an attempt to hold its flock together ahead of the Assembly elections may make disgraced former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin the working president of its state unit on Tuesday, sources have told DNA. The move would be aimed at placating the cricketer-turned-politician, who is reported to be unhappy with his treatment within the party.
Sources told DNA that Azharuddin's elevation as state Congress working president is a done deal, with only the formal announcement waiting to happen. However, his push for an increased role has ruffled feathers in the state unit of the grand old party.
Azharuddin had expressed his desire to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from the Secunderabad constituency. At a party meeting in July to screen candidates, the previous holder of the seat, Anjan Kumar Yadav, had protested and said he would contest from the seat again.
Reports have also quoted people close to Azharuddin saying his is unhappy with the Congress's treatment of Muslims. This had set off speculation that he could quit the party and join the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) instead.
Azharuddin has earlier contested elections to Lok Sabha - winning from Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad in 2009 and losing from Rajasthan's Tonk-Sawai Madhopur constituency in 2014 - both on Congress tickets.
The Congress is in the fray to unseat the ruling TRS, which had stormed to power in the first Telangana Assembly elections in 2014. The party has joined hands with the TDP and other players, some of whom are also likely to be part of a grand alliance of parties to take on the Narendra Modi's BJP in 2019. The state votes in a single phase on December 7, and counting of votes is set to take place on December 11.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Azharuddin has served one term as an MP on a Congress ticket..")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}