Beleaguered YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s show in the first session of AP Assembly has received mixed reactions across public, political fraternity. While Jagan’s detractors pointed fingers at his “One-man” show, “lack-of-substance” speech, Jagan’s fanfare expected a better performance from him.

The biggest stumbling block for Jagan Reddy apparently is this: It is his efforts to “imitate” his late father YS Rajasekhar Reddy’s persona and trying to act like him. Although it might work to an extent, the chances are bigger that it may backfire. There is no wrong in following his dad’s foot steps but emulating him, imitating him gives a sense of deja vu, artificial.

Given that Naidu’s expertise and experience is no match, Jagan should start from the beginning when it come to politics. For the survival of the party, Jagan direly need to build the second leadership. He should develop trusted proteges among senior politicians and should act under their guidance.

It may be recalled that even his dad Rajasekhar Reddy had “Advisers” like KVP Ramachandra Rao. The need of the hour for Jagan is to find a person like “KVP Ramachandra Rao” for him. Only then, Jagan could at least give tough competition to Naidu. Jagan should also open up on the “mistakes’ he had committed during his father’s regime so that he could revive the people’s opinion on him. And that’ not something new. In the past, his dad late Rajasekhar Reddy too admitted mistake publicly in the AP Assembly and surrendered the lands in and around Idupulapaaya. It’s time for Jagan to restore “trust”, “honesty” in his party members as well as common man. Until then, Jagan trails far behind Chandra Babu.