Telangana Congress tries for Azharuddin against Asaduddin Owaisi

Hyderabad: State Congress leaders have requested former India cricket captain and ex-MP Md Azharuddin to be the candidate for the party from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, which the MIM has held since the 1984 elections.

Azharuddin was previously elected to the Lok Sabha from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh.

The request was made during the Rajiv Gandhi Sadbhavana Yatra — an annual event organised by former MP V. Ha-numantha Rao — at Char-minar on Thursday. AICC secretary R.C. Kuntia and TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy presented the Rajiv Sadbhavana awards to Azharuddin and former bureaucrat M. Gopalakrishna.

Leader of the Opposition in the Council Shabbir Ali asked Azharuddin to contest from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency as he belonged to the place and knew of the issues. He said Azharuddin would be the best candidate to take on MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.

Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said Azharuddin was free contest either from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat or any other Assembly seat he wanted, and his name would be will be recommended to the AICC for approval.

Mr Kuntia said Azharuddin had a following of lakhs of youth, and would be the best bet for the Congress from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat. He also requested him to campaign for the party in Telangana state and elsewhere. Azharuddin did not respond to the open invitation.