Former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin has been appointed as a minister in the Revanth Reddy-led Telangana cabinet.

The timing of his appointment; just ahead of elections in the Jubilee Hills constituency, which has nearly one lakh Muslim voters; has raised eyebrows but surprised few.

The Congress Party has long been accused of appeasing the Muslim community in the name of secularism, while using it largely as a vote bank.

Azharuddin’s elevation has now reignited that criticism, leaving the party open to charges of hypocrisy.

Azharuddin once held one of the highest honours in Indian sports, captaining the national cricket team.

However, his career came to a disgraceful end after he was found involved in a match-fixing scandal, leading to a life ban imposed by the BCCI.

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