For several years, Tamineni Sitaram was a minister in the Chandrababu Naidu cabinet in united Andhra Pradesh, handling  portfolios like Tourism and Municipal Administration. Like many of his colleagues, Sitaram was constantly eager to praise the big boss to the skies. That past was forgotten on Monday by Sitaram who is now the Speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, as he subjected Naidu and his former friends in the TDP to a severe tongue lashing. 

At a time when the TDP was protesting against the Three Capitals Bill introduced in the Assembly, Sitaram asked the state government to start a probe into the allegations of insider trading in Amaravati. This has been an oft-repeated charge against the top TDP bosses that many of them bought lands in and around the capital region, with an eye to profit when Amaravati was developed. 

The TDP legislators objected vociferously, questioning Sitaram’s right to order a probe. That was when Sitaram lost it. 

“Don’t talk rubbish. You are exceeding your limits. I have every right to direct the government to order an inquiry. Who are you to question me? Sit down,” screamed an enraged Sitaram.

But with temper rising, Sitaram mixed up his English and kept saying “sense of humour” instead of “common sense”. Because there was nothing funny about what was going on inside the House.

But Chief minister Jaganmohan Reddy kept a straight face, saying he will abide by the Speaker’s instructions.