Daijiworld Media Network - Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Apr 27: Telangana minister for minority welfare Mohammad Azharuddin and noted academic M. Kodandaram Reddy were officially sworn in as members of the state’s Legislative Council. The oath was administered by Council chairman G. Sukhender Reddy during a function held at the Assembly hall.
The event witnessed the presence of chief minister A. Revanth Reddy, along with his Cabinet colleagues, state Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, and other senior leaders from the ruling party.
Their induction follows nominations made by governor Shiv Pratap Shukla under the governor’s quota. However, the appointments remain subject to the final verdict in ongoing legal proceedings, as clarified in an official government notification.
Azharuddin and Kodandaram have been appointed to fill vacancies created after the tenure of former Council members D. Rajeshwar Rao and Farooq Hussain ended in May 2023.
For Azharuddin, the nomination comes at a crucial juncture. Having been sworn in as a minister on October 31, 2025, he was constitutionally required to secure membership in either the Assembly or Council before April 30 to retain his Cabinet position. His appointment therefore brings both relief and political stability to him and the Congress leadership.
Kodandaram, a prominent figure in the Telangana statehood movement and leader of the Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS), had extended support to the Congress during the 2023 elections, making his nomination politically significant.
The development brings closure to months of uncertainty. The Telangana Cabinet had initially recommended their names for Council membership under the Governor’s quota in August 2025, but the process was delayed due to a pending issue in the Supreme Court. The Chief Minister had recently met the Governor to expedite approval, citing the apex court’s observation that it had no objection to the state proceeding with the nominations.
The issue has been entangled in legal disputes for over a year. Earlier, the Supreme Court had stayed similar nominations following petitions by leaders of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), including Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana, who challenged the order.
The issue dates back to 2024, when Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan were initially inducted as MLCs, only for their appointments to be struck down by the High Court. The court had also clarified the limits of the Governor’s powers, stating that recommendations could only be returned for reconsideration, not rejected outright.
Subsequent appeals and political changes, including the Congress coming to power, further complicated the situation, with rival claimants continuing their legal battle in the Supreme Court.
With the latest swearing-in, the state government has moved forward despite pending litigation, though the final outcome will ultimately depend on the court’s decision.