Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], October 30 (ANI): Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao has slammed the Congress government in the State for its decision to induct former Indian Cricketer Mohammad Azharuddin into the Cabinet as a Minister just before the Jubilee Hills by-election, terming it as an act of appeasement and also a violation of the moral code of conduct Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

'While the Jubilee Hills by-election campaigns are going on, the Congress government in Telangana wants to make Mohammad Azharuddin a Minister in the state Cabinet. This is nothing but an act of appeasement and also a violation of the model code of conduct... BJP opposes this move,' Ramchander Rao told ANI.

Voting for the Jubilee Hills by-election is scheduled to take place on November 14. 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. The Congress has no Muslim MLA in the current State Assembly, and there is no Muslim Cabinet Minister in the Cabinet.

With Azharuddin's induction, the number of Ministers in the Revanth Reddy cabinet will go up to 16. The total strength of the Council of Ministers in Telangana is 18, including the Chief Minister.

Meanwhile, Telangana BJP president Ramchander Rao on Monday released a poster mocking the six 'guarantees' in the Congress manifesto ahead of the Jubilee Hills bye-election, alleging that the ruling party has failed on development and instead prioritised 'lawlessness and criminal elements' in the state.

As part of the satire, the BJP's mock poster listed pointers including the removal of cases against rowdy sheeters in Hyderabad, issuance of licences for hafta (extortion) collection, immunity for threatening activities, pensions for retired rowdy sheeters, a separate corporation for them, and licences for land grabbing and settlement operations.

Hitting out at the Congress government, Rao said the BJP has used satire to highlight what he described as the deteriorating law-and-order situation in Telangana. 'The Congress party has not fulfilled any promises, but as satire, the BJP has taken out this poster of its manifesto's six guarantees... They appear to be the real guarantees provided by the Congress party to the people of Telangana,' the BJP leader said while speaking to ANI. (ANI)