Stage is set for the defection of former Indian cricket captain and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee working president Mohammad Azharuddin into the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
Azhar was on Friday elected president of Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA). He defeated his nearest rival Prakash Chand Jain from former MP G Vivek panel by a margin of 74 votes.
The cricketer polled 147 votes as against 73 votes secured by Jain. But what is more important is that Azhar, despite being a Congress man, got the complete support from the ruling TRS which mobilised many votes in his favour.
In fact, it was pointed out by Vivek at a press conference a couple of days ago and alleged that Azhar had joined hands with the TRS to defeat his panel.
He also said in the next elections, it will be former TRS MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha, who will be the HCA president.
As expected, Azhar announced soon after the victory that he was going to meet TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and seek his blessings.
When asked whether he was joining TRS, he evaded answer and said it was not the time to talk about his joining the TRS.
Ironically, Azhar’s statement came at a time when the Telangana Congress leaders were celebrating his victory in the HCA elections.
The party workers burst fire crackers at Gandhi Bhavan to hail the victory and there were congratulatory messages from PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and others to Azhar.
But Azhar did not go to Gandhi Bhavan to celebrate, but declared that he had sought an appointment with KCR and KTR tomorrow!