There is an interesting observation with regard to the ongoing budget session of the Andhra Pradesh assembly in Amaravati.

Fresh from the massive victory in the elections, the YSR Congress party MLAs are putting up an aggressive posture, pouncing upon the opposition Telugu Desam Party legislators which are forced to go on the defensive.

So far so good. But the interesting part is that every YSRC MLA who gets an opportunity to speak in the assembly is not ending his speech without referring to the name of late chief minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. In fact, the YSR has become a buzz word for the YSRC MLAs in the House.

“Whether it is out of their real affection towards the departed leader, or it is an attempt to please the party boss and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, the party MLAs are taking the every name of YSR at every given opportunity. So, though it has been nearly a decade since YSR departed this world, his soul continues to move around in the assembly,” a source close to the party said.

In fact, finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, while introducing the budget in the state assembly last week, named as many as 18 schemes after YSR.

“So, whenever the MLAs talk about the welfare schemes, they are forced to recall the name of YSR invariably,” the source said.

So, more than Jagan, it appears it is YSR who is still ruling the state!