Hyderabad: The controversy over the appointment of ace tennis player Sania Mirza as brand ambassador of Telangana state refused to die with politicians trying to score brownie points. It has also not left the sports world untouched with another local sports star Sania Nehwal revealing that the government has not paid the cash reward of Rs50,00,000 promised to her by Andhra Pradesh government in the past.

While the row was triggered by the BJP leaders, state Congress leaders were also finding themselves stuck in it. While a senior Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanth Rao also raised objections to Sania’s appointment, his party colleague Mohammad Ali Shabbir has launched a counter attack saying by speaking the language of BJP he was damaging the party’s image.

Haumantha Rao had questioned the decision of the state government saying she had married a Pakistani, was not born in Hyderabad and did not participate in he movement for Telangana state.

Shabbir, in a letter to the party president Sonia Gandhi strongly objected to the stand taken by Hanumantha Rao and said that it was not an acceptable behaviour from a leader of his stature.

On the criticism that Sania was born in Mumbai, Shabbir said, “BJP leader L K Advani was born in Pakistan but that does not make him Pakistani”.

Meanwhile the deputy floor leader of BJP NVSS Prabhakar has also objected to Sania’s appointment and filed an application under Right to Information Act seeking the criteria for the decision. “How will she be useful in promoting the state”, he asked asking the Chief Minister to justify the decision.

Badminton champion Sania Nehwal, who is also based in Hyderabad and brought many laurel to the state, expressed her happiness over Sania Mirza’s appointment. But she wanted to know why she was not paid the cash reward announced by Andhra Pradesh government after she won the bronze at the London Olympics.

The state government had also announced a similar reward for shooter Gagan Narang and Rs2.5 million each to the two members of World Champion Kabaddi team Mamata Pujari and Naga Lakshmi.