Hyderabad, Oct. 31 -- Former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin was sworn in as a minister in the Telangana Cabinet on Friday. Governor Jishnu Dev Verma administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at a ceremony held in the Raj Bhavan.

After taking the oath, Azharuddin thanked Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, as he was felicitated by fellow ministers and leaders who congratulated him.

Azharuddin's induction into the Cabinet took place ahead of the Jubilee Hills by-election.

The Assembly constituency has a high concentration of Muslim voters, and the decision of the Congress government has been seen as a move to increase the prospects of the party among the Muslim voters. There had been no Muslim Cabinet Minister in the Cabin...