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New Delhi: Former Indian cricket team skipper Mohammad Azharuddin formally joined the Congress on Thursday and is expected to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Azharuddin addressed the press at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday evening and clarified that the party high command will decide from where he will contest elections.

He said he has always been a fan of the Congress and late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

"I am quite happy to be in front of a large gathering after a long time. I have been a fan on late Rajiv Gandhi. It is the only party that has made so many sacrifices," said Azharuddin.

"I want to work in the larger interest of the party. I am not the captain anymore so I can't decide on whether I will contest in polls. That is for party high command to decide," Azhar added.

Azhar will probably contest from one of the three constituencies falling in Hyderabad in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

He is expected to take on the Congress ally in Andhra Pradesh, the All India Majlis-e Ittihad al-Muslimin's (MIM) growing influence in the state and is likely to be projected as the party's new Muslim face.

Azharuddin was introduced to the press as the latest entrant to the Congress by senior party leader Veerappa Moily.

"Sonia Gandhi is very happy to have Azhar in the party. He has firm belief in the secular and forward looking policies of the party," said Moily.

More on: General Elections 2009, Congress, Mohammad Azharuddin, Lok Sabha Elections 2009