Azharuddin to contest from Moradabad

Former cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin was on Friday given Congress ticket to contest from Moradabad parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh.

Minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma told reporters that Azharuddin would be contesting from Moradabad. Azharuddin formally joined the Congress on February 19.

The Congress on Friday released the third list of 14 candidates for Uttar Pradesh. The party has already declared 39 candidates for the state. Azharuddin, who was banned for life from cricket for his alleged role in a match fixing scam, had said that he plans to campaign for Congress across the country.

Last week, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Rita Bahuguna Joshi had said that the former cricketer has "desired to contest from the state".