The law of diminishing marginal utility is a law of economics. As a person increases consumption of a product, while keeping consumption of other products constant, there is a decline in the marginal utility that person derives from consuming each additional unit of that product. This is the general definition of the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility.

For instance, if you are hungry, the consumption of first serving seems scrumptious as well sumptuous. You will be ok with a second helping. When you are served the same for a third time, your appetite or interest on the particular delicacy comes down. If you have to consume the same again, you will reach a point where you will feel sick of eating the same. This point is called “disutility”, meaning the particular dish has almost outlived its utility by the consumer.

Here, in this classic case, senior politician M V Mysoora Reddy is the dish and the consumer is Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, the president of the YSR Congress.

Mysoora Reddy’s exit from YSR Congress and his letter hardly make any difference either to Jagan or for that matter to anybody. It’s like movie artiste Satyanarayana or Jamuna (the legendary actors of yesteryear) coming out and telling the world that they are no longer acting in movies.

Mysoora Reddy’s expression of remorse in joining the YSR Congress is funny. For, he carried Jagan on his shoulders in all the TV debates where he represented the YSR Congress. He may buttress his arguments saying that he did his duty loyally. Then, there is no point in expressing regret.

Well, Mysoora Reddy was invited into the party by Jagan, when he knew that he was going to be jailed in the Disproportionate Assets case and that the party required a senior leader to provide direction to it. Mysoora Reddy also brought in that necessary “elderliness” to the setting. Despite Jagan being in the prison, a lot of leaders could be contacted and induced into the fledgling YSR Congress.

If the party is rattling even now, Jagan is singularly responsible for the sorry state.

Such a senior leader of Mysoora Reddy’s stature, in his four-page exit note, mentioned that Jagan was inaccessible. How true. Jagan can never wash this smudge off his hands.

If one has to meet Chandrababu Naidu or KCR, they would know whom to contact and secure an appointment. That is not the case with Jagan.

And, his henchmen speak in a manner that appears to be riding a roughshod on the person seeking appointment, as if the aspiring visitor is going to ask for some favour or up to some ominous act.

Well, that said, Mysoora Reddy has no business whatsoever to spurn Jagan when he is actually leaving the party. It is true that Mysoora has been giving leaks to the media that he was distancing himself from Jagan. Though he has been denying that his decision was a result of denial of Rajya Sabha seat to him, there is no truth in that. He, for sure, was promised Rajya Sabha seat, but Vijaya Sai Reddy’s loyalties are time-tested and naturally take primacy over others.

Jagan’s perennial problem is that his is a case of tail wagging the dog. Everybody wants something or the other and when he cannot give any assurance, the reaction is that throw a fistful of mud on him, call him names, say he is corrupt and describe him as arrogant, go and join the TDP.

Of course, why at all such scope is being given is the big question Jagan should ask himself. Shouldn’t Caesar’s wife be above suspicion? Well, Jagan has no chance of proving his probity in financial matters, as the issue is already in the hands of the law. But, he can at least make an effort to wean away the other charges by pulling out all possible stops to set the house in order.

Mysoora Reddy’s heydays were over long ago. He was a Minister in the Congress Government. He was Deputy Floor Leader when YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the Leader of the Opposition. Later, he migrated to the TDP and Chandrababu Naidu honoured him with a Rajya Sabha seat, in spite of internal pressures. His membership could not be renewed, as Naidu, a post-graduate in economics, knows the Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility too well.

Now, Mysoora Reddy’s hopes of getting into Rajya Sabha were dashed a few months ago. So, whatever he says now against Jagan or Naidu or in favour of them makes neither a positive nor a negative impact. For, he has reached a state of “disutility”, when it comes to political consumption. Even if he joins the TDP, he cannot expect the same old treatment from the Chief Minister of AP for very obvious reasons.

Wish you a very happy retired life, Dr. Reddy.