On Friday, the second day of the AP Assembly session, an interesting wordy duel occurred between YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu. While this event appeared to be a trailer of what is in store for the next five years, it also demonstrated in ample measure Jagan's riposte skills.

While speaking after Kodela Sivaprasad's anointment as Speaker of the legislative Assembly, Jagan quoted Lok Sabha's first speaker GV Mavlankar's comment that the essence of the matter is that the speaker has to place himself in the position of a judge. He implied that the speaker should not be partisan and give into even unconscious bias for or against any particular view. He said that the Speaker has to inspire all sections of the house.

Then Jagan went on to say that there were just two parties in the house implying the ruling party and the opposition. At that point, the speaker reminded that there was a third party in the form of BJP. But Jagan quickly replied that since BJP was part of the government, there were just two parties and added that the BJP would become a separate entity when it delinks itself from the Government.

At this, a stung Yanamala stood up and tried to taunt Jagan saying that he was day-dreaming. He went on to add that the TDP would be a a ruling party permanently. But, in a slip of the tongue, Freudian or otherwise, he said permanent opposition as the house burst into peels of laughter.

In his riposte, Jagan reminded Yanamala of the Assembly in 1999, when the TDP gloated over its victory and the Congress, then led by late YSR, was in the opposition. The TDP's boast invincibility was proved hollow when YSR trounced the TDP and registered a resounding victory.

Jagan then signed off saying: "So, let us leave who is in power and who is in the opposition to God and the public."

-Siva@Sakshipost