Mohammed Azharuddin to decide his role in consultation with Congress leadership

Hyderabad, Oct 22: Former cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin, who has been invited by the Telangana Congress to contest the 2019 elections from the state, has said he would move ahead vis-a-vis his role in the party in consultation with the high command.

"I will see what the high command wants me to do," he told. The 54-year-old former Team India captain said he felt happy and honoured with the invitation extended to him by Telangana Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy. Azharuddin, a former Congress MP from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, said he already campaigns for the party at different places in the country.

Speaking at an event here last week, Reddy invited Azharuddin to contest elections from the state, either for the post of MP or MLA, when the former cricketer expressed his readiness to work for the party in Telangana. "If we work together again, our Congress government will come in Telangana," Azharuddin said at a public event here yesterday.

To this, Reddy said, "I am inviting you, in Telangana, whichever MP or MLA...you want to contest. We will call you to contest." The state Congress would like Azharuddin to contest the polls in Telangana and also campaign for the party, Reddy had said.

Azharuddin, who hails from Hyderabad, had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Rajasthan. The assembly elections in Telangana are scheduled to be held simultaneously with Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

PTI