Choosing the field for Mohammed Azharuddin a googly for Congress

HYDERABAD: Will the Congress party field Mohammed Azharuddin from some other state? This question is doing the rounds in the political circles.

Azharuddin had wanted to contest from Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency but did not get the ticket. Congress leadership instead fielded ex-MP Anjan Kumar Yadav from Secunderabad. Yadav won the Secunderabad seat twice in 2004 and 2009 and lost to BJP’s Bandaru Dattatreya in 2014.

Though the party was willing to offer Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat to Azharuddin, he did not show much interest. In fact, Azhar made it clear on several occasions that he was not keen on entering the electoral fray from Hyderabad, a strong-hold of the MIM.

Though Azhar’s name was under consideration from Chevella as well, equations changed after Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy joined the Congress.

Azharuddin is reported to have expressed his interest to contest from the Mumbai North-Central Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra at a time when Priya Dutt was not willing to enter the electoral fray. It may be mentioned that Azhar, who won from Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) in 2009 but lost in 2014 from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur (Rajasthan), had been maintaining that the final decision from where he would contest would be taken by the Congress high command, but he has conveyed his desire to fight from a couple of constituencies.

While Azhar was not available for comments, sources in the AICC said he is popular among the masses and that the party will soon take a decision on his candidature.