Azhar’s presence in iftar evoke controversies

Azhar, who made a surprise appearance at the iftarparty hosted by Sultan Salauddin Owaisi, President All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) where he chanced upon meeting the Chief Minister, evoked tremendous response from his fans who cheered him lustily.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday told reporters at TDP headquarters that Azhar was not invited to an iftarparty hosted by him.

“I didn’t invite him but if somebody greets you at a function you just can’t brush him aside,” Naidu said.

It was stated that Asaduddin Owaisi, the city legislator and son of Sultan Salauddin Owaisi, MP, personally invited Hyderabadi cricketer who had remained incommunicado following his involvement in the match-fixing scandal.

Azhar mingled with the fans and had talks with Majlis’ senior leader S S Owaisi in the presence of a large number of invitee which fuelled speculation that he was joining politics.

The Chief Minister hosted the iftar party on Friday last, three days after Owaisi’s party which was attended by prominent Muslims including Azharuddin who shared the table with the host.

At both the iftar parties when reporters tried to talk to Azharuddin he avoided them.

The state unit of BJP’s youth wing on Saturday took strong exception to Azhar’s being invited to iftar parties by AIMIM and the Chief Minister and demanded that the State Government withdraw all sops, including land given to him in wake of the life ban imposed on him by the Cricket Board.

Azhar denies gate-crashing

HYDERABAD: Mohammad Azharuddin denied having gate-crashed the iftar hosted by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday.

"My silence cannot be taken advantage of by publishing provocative news," Azhar said in a rejoinder to an article in a local daily. He attached a xerox copy of the invitation for the party sent by the General Administration Department of the State Government.

The xerox, made available to UNI, had his name as 17th in the list of invitee. Azhar said he was pained over reports in a section of the press that he had attended the party hosted by the prominent citizens of the twin cities without an invitation.

He asserted that he attended all iftar parties only on invitation from the organisers.

Azhar’s reaction came in the wake of an article in a local daily.

The beleaguered cricketer said it was unfortunate that the Chief Minister had been put in an embarrassing situation with unwarranted questions put to him by the media.

"Some vested interests, inimical towards me have carried on this wily campaign,” he said, adding that he had received the invitation from the Chief Minister one day before the iftar at his residence.

UNI