HYDERABAD: The Chandrababu Naidu government’s decision to go ahead with the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation project - allegedly at inflated cost - led to an unprecedented, acrimonious and indecent verbal duel between the ruling TDP and Opposition YSRC members in the Andhra Pradesh State Assembly on Wednesday. Both sides vied with each other in using ‘unparliamentary language’, wagging fingers and even making indecent gestures much to the dismay of Speaker Kodela Siva Prasada Rao.
Trouble began late in the morning session when YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy sought more time from the Speaker to speak on the controversial project, which had been rocking the House for the last two days, after Irrigation Minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao’s speech.
A few TDP members immediately intervened to lash out at Jagan. MLA Bonda Uma Maheswara Rao called him a ‘420’ and hurled choicest abuses at some other YSRC members leading to heated exchanges between the two sides.
Rao’s remarks on YSRC MLA Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao alias Nani added fuel to THE fire and prompted Jagan’s legislators to rush into the Well of the House despite repeated pleas of the Speaker to calm down.