Azharuddin facing slog overs as Minister?

Hyderabad: The political future of Minister Mohammed Azharuddin remains in the grey area as his nomination to the Legislative Council is still pending, with sources indicating that the Telangana government has yet to approach Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla in this regard.

Azharuddin, who was inducted into the Cabinet in October 2025 as Minister for Minorities Welfare and Public Enterprises, is constitutionally required to become either an MLA or MLC within six months of assuming office. That period will end on April 30, 2026, after which he would automatically cease to hold his ministerial position.

Previously, the state Cabinet, led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, had recommended the names of Azharuddin and Prof M. Kodandaram for nomination as MLCs under the Governor’s quota in August 2025. This followed a ruling by the Supreme Court of India setting aside the election of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan.

However, the proposal was not approved by the then Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, and the matter remained pending despite the Supreme Court clarifying that its review proceedings will not prevent the Governor from exercising constitutional powers to approve fresh nominations, subject to the final outcome of related petitions. The issue gained urgency after Shukla assumed office on March 11, 2026. Sources indicate that the state government has not yet formally pursued the recommendation with the new Governor, though it may do so within the next one or two weeks. Sources believe the Governor could clear the file if approached.

Meanwhile, political circles are abuzz with speculations over a possible Cabinet reshuffle following the ongoing elections in five states. There are indications that some Ministers could be dropped, while new faces may be inducted as part of a Cabinet expansion.

Sources suggest that if the government intends to remove Azharuddin as part of a restructuring process, there is no need for a deliberate action. It is enough if the government simply refrains from meeting the Governor