"Azharuddin met us today and expressed his desire to join the party," Moily, Andhra Pradesh in-charge, told reporters. The Congress leader said Azhar also agreed to campaign for the party in the ensuing elections. "The party will use his services," was all he said when asked if the party would field him in the coming elections.

Azharuddin drove to the Lakeview Guest House and met the chief minister, Moily and state Congress president D. Srinivas. Congress sources said the meeting lasted for an hour.

Moily said Azhar recently met Congress president Sonia Gandhi and discussed various issues.Congress sources said Azhar would soon be joining the party and contest Lok Sabha elections.

They dismissed speculation that the former captain would be fielded from Hyderabad, which is a stronghold of Muslim political party Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), an ally of the Congress. They pointed out that MIM president and sitting MP from Hyderabad Asaduddin Owaisi is also one of Azharuddin's close friends.

Speculation of Azharuddin joining the Congress started a couple of days ago when he reportedly met some central leaders of the party in New Delhi. Azhar had denied the media reports but did not rule out taking a plunge into politics.

Azharuddin's sudden interest in politics has baffled people here as he was keeping a low profile ever since he was banned from playing cricket for his alleged involvement in match fixing almost a decade ago.