Mahmood Ali

Mohammed Mahmood Ali is an Indian politician who serves as a member of the Telangana Legislative Council. He is recognized as a founding member of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party. Throughout his political tenure, he has held several high-ranking positions within the state government.

Early life and education

Ali was born on 2 March 1952 in Hyderabad. He resides in Azampura. For his higher education, he attended Osmania University. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Commerce from this institution. Before entering the political arena, he ventured into the dairy farming business. This enterprise proved to be quite profitable for him.

Career

Ali joined the Telangana movement in 2001. This occurred when K. Chandrasekhar Rao launched the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which is now known as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi. He remains a close aide to Chandrasekhar Rao and has supported him since the beginning of the Telangana agitation. In 2010, Ali was elected as a Member of Legislative Council for United Andhra Pradesh.

Following the creation of Telangana, he became a representative of the Telangana Legislative Council. On 2 June 2014, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao appointed him as the first-ever Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana. He shared this position with T Rajaiah after the party won the state's Legislative Assembly election. After the 2018 elections, he shared the deputy chief minister post with Kadiyam Srihari.

His administrative responsibilities have been extensive. From 2014 to 2018, he managed the departments of Revenue, Stamps and Registrations, Relief and Rehabilitation, and Urban Land Ceiling. Ali later served as the second Home Minister of Telangana during the second K. Chandrasekhar Rao ministry. He replaced Nayani Narasimha Reddy in this role. During his time as Home Minister, he also oversaw the Departments of Prisons and Fire Services from 2018 to 2023. Currently, he serves as the president of the BRS party's minority cell.

His career has faced certain controversies. In 2022, while serving as Home Minister, he stated that women wearing short clothes could lead to problems. Additionally, in 2023, he reportedly slapped his personal security officer for not having a bouquet ready when Ali stepped onto a stage to congratulate Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav.

Personal life

Ali is married to Nasreen Fathima. The couple has one son and two daughters. He maintains significant business interests outside of politics. According to his election affidavits, he owns a dairy farm and a venue called ‘Azam Function Hall’. These assets have contributed significantly to his wealth.

His financial declarations show substantial growth over time. In 2018, Ali declared movable assets totaling Rs 1.07 crore. This figure represented a nearly 50% increase from his 2013 affidavit. His immovable assets were valued at Rs 2.2 crore, which was double his previous amount. He attributes his primary income to his dairy farm, his salary as deputy chief minister, and rental income from the function hall.

Health concerns were noted during a public event. During the 2024 Republic Day celebrations at Telangana Bhavan in Banjara Hills, Ali fainted due to fatigue. He was subsequently rushed to Apollo Hospital for medical attention.