Hyderabad: Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Saturday cleared the long-pending nominations of former India cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin and Telangana Jana Samithi founder M Kodandaram as MLCs under the governor’s quota, ending months of uncertainty.The approval came just in time for Azharuddin, who was required to become a legislator within six months of being made a minister, a deadline that expires on April 30. The Revanth Reddy cabinet had forwarded the names of Azharuddin and Kodandaram in August 2025, but the file did not move under then governor Jishnu Dev Varma.Sources said Shukla acted after legal advice confirmed that Supreme Court had not barred the appointments, only stipulating that they would remain subject to its final verdict in petitions filed by BRS’ Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana, and later by Amer Ali Khan, who had been nominated under the governor’s quota in Aug 2024.The CM recently met the governor, pressing the case and underscoring its political urgency. Revanth Reddy is believed to have explained that SC had not issued any order preventing the governor from clearing the nominations, sources said.SC has posted the case filed by Dasoju, among others, for hearing on July 22, when the final verdict is likely.Azharuddin said he would continue working for the welfare of all sections and the state’s development, while Kodandaram struck a philosophical note: “Power is not permanent, but service to the people will be remembered.”For Congress, the clearance is more than procedural. Azharuddin’s continuation as a minister carries symbolic weight — he is the only Muslim face in Revanth’s cabinet, holding the minorities welfare and public enterprises portfolios. His induction last Oct, ahead of the Jubilee Hills assembly bypoll, was seen as a strategic outreach.Though he lost the 2023 assembly election from Jubilee Hills, the Congress later won the bypoll fielding V Naveen Yadav after the death of BRS MLA Maganti Gopinath.Party insiders said AICC had mounted pressure on Revanth to secure Azharuddin’s position, and Saturday’s development strengthens his standing with the party high command. It also ensures that Kodandaram, a respected academic and activist who played a key role in the Telangana statehood movement, enters the Legislative Council.The oath-taking is expected before the end of the month. The Congress govt, which assumed office in Dec 2023, first forwarded the names of Kodandaram and Amer Ali to then governor in Jan 2024. The nominations were initially approved by then governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, but later quashed by the high court.And on Aug 30 last year, the state cabinet had sent the names of Kodandaram and Azharuddin (replacing Amer Ali) to Jishnu Dev Varma, nominating them as MLCs under the governor’s quota. Timeline of MLC nominees under governor’s quotaThe issue began when relations between then BRS govt and governor Tamilisai Soundararajan were strained, and BRS govt sent the names of Dasoju Sravan and Kurra Satyanarayana under the governor’s quota in July 2023The governor’s office did not take a decision immediately and rejected the names on Sept 19. The two moved the high court in Dec 2023After Congress formed a govt in Dec 2023, it sent the names of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan to the governor in Jan 2024. These were approved by Tamilisai but later quashed by the high courtThen, an SLP was filed in SC by the governor’s office, and Dasoju Sravan also approached the court. On Aug 14, SC stayed the HC order pending final judgment, following which Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan were sworn in as MLCsOn Aug 13, 2025, SC set aside the Telangana govt’s appointments of Kodandaram and Amer Ali Khan as MLCs under the governor’s quota, ruling the nomination process invalidOn Aug 30, the state cabinet sent the names of Kodandaram and Azharuddin (replacing Amer Ali Khan) to governor Jishnu Dev Varma. However, he chose not to act, awaiting the SC’s final orderOn April 25, 2026, governor Shiv Pratap Shukla approved the names of Azharuddin and Kodandaram. A gazette notification is expected soon
