CHANDIGARH, Dec. 19 -- The opening sitting of the Haryana assembly's winter session unfolded without much hostility--and barring occasional verbal exchanges--especially during the first half of the near six-hour-long sitting on Thursday.

After mourning the demise of prominent people and Haryana soldiers killed in action in recent months and followed by the Question Hour, the 90-member House witnessed an unusual moment of warmth when political adversaries---the ruling BJP and the principal Opposition, the Congress---briefly shed their combat gear.

First the ruling BJP led by chief minister Nayab Singh Saini welcomed the re-appointment of Bhupinder Singh Hooda as the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader. The cordial mood continued as H...