Prof. M. Kodandaram (L) and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin for nomination to the Legislative Council. File | Photo: The Hindu and X/@azharflicks
The Telangana Cabinet presided over by the Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy cleared the names of Prof. M. Kodandaram and former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin for nomination to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota.
The Cabinet that met in the Assembly on Saturday (August 30, 2025) decided to send the two names to the Governor for clearance after the Supreme Court stayed the earlier nominations of Prof. Kodandaram and journalist Amer Ali Khan to the Council, citing that they were nominated when a case was pending in the Supreme Court on those two vacancies.
The stay was imposed on a petition filed by Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leaders Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana, challenging the nominations made by the state government. They were earlier nominated by the BRS government, but the then Governor did not clear the names citing technical reasons.
Meanwhile, the Congress came to power and nominated Prof. Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan for the two vacancies. Their appointment was challenged again by Mr. Sravan and Mr. Satyanarayana, citing that their nomination issue was still pending. The Supreme Court clarified that any appointments made under the Governor’s quota would be subject to the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Also read: Jubilee Hills Bypoll: A prestige battle for Congress, BRS and BJP
The nomination of Mohd Azharuddin to the council sends a clear signal that the party nomination for the Jubilee Hills bypoll would be given to a Backward Class (BC) candidate. Mr. Azharuddin contested the 2023 Assembly elections and lost to Maganti Gopinath of the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS).
The demise of Mr Gopinath necessitated the bypoll, which is likely to be held along with the Bihar Assembly polls.
Published – August 30, 2025 05:40 pm IST
