Setting required is that of rural village in the great and developed state of Maharashtra. Just because Maharashtra is great and developed, all villages therein need not be prosperous and developed. Hope you get the point. Hence what is needed is not pleasant reality but harsh reality. Rugged terrain, kachcha roads, parched landscape and some 100 odd semi constructed houses.

The village can be governed by a Deshmukh or for that matter a Patil . No Dhonde or Joshi to head the village please. Marathas should head the village, goes the custom. The names of Deshmukhs and Patils sound like those of village chiefs. Dhonde and Joshi can very well be the villagers residing in the village.

The village may be undeveloped but since Maharashtra is great and developed it follows the progressive and liberal tradition in political life. All political parties are thus welcome. Deshmukh belongs to A, Patil to B, Munde to C and Joshi to D. Their parties may be constantly at crossroads with each other but owing to liberal and progressive political tradition Deshmukh, Patil, Dhonde and Joshi are friends. Except at the time of elections when Deshmukh, Patil join hands to fight against Dhonde and Joshi. This is where our hen makes an entry.

Deshmukh-Patil-Pawar are busy plotting. Dhonde-Joshi are busy conspiring. The discussions revolve around a central theme - how to sabotage rival camp ‘ s campaign rally.

Deshmukh-Patil want fifth columnsist within Dhonde-Joshi camp to shout slogans criticising Munde-Joshi when their rally is on. "Shout slogan, finish the job, earn reward," says the trio
Dhonde-Joshi want to let loose a snake in the rally of Deshmukh-Patil. "Let the snake do the job as we have no reward to offer," think the duo.

"Nopes, won ‘ t work. Sloganeering will earn us a bad name. After all we follow a liberal and democratic thought process," conclude the Deshmukh-Patil.

"Na, bad idea. Will earn us a bad name if the snake bites someone," feel Dhonde-Joshi.

They are thus back to square one. Suddenly they see Khandu running behind his hen "Aa Aa Aa Aa, Mat Ja Ja Ja Ja (come , don ‘ t run away)" Khandu is pleading even as he chases his hen. As they are watching a sudden realisation dawns that it takes a hen to give brith to an idea.

A job well done, with much fun, think Deshmukh-Patil. Soon elections take place, results are announced. Deshmukh-Patil win. Joshi-Dhonde loose but with a very narrow margin.  They are happy that despite operation sabotage by hens, their vote share increases by 3 percent. Days of rivalry make way for days of bonhomie in order to uphold liberal, democratic tradtion and progressive political thought. After assuming power, Deshmukh-Patil- tell Joshi-Dhonde that hens did the latter in.  "It wasn ‘ t the mayhem caused by hens but the fact that your sidekicks could not catch them angered the villagers . If you can ‘ t catch hen how will you catch terrorists. We used this point against you in the door to door campaign," reveal Deshmukh-Patil at a friendly function to display bonhomie and liberal-democractic tradition in the village.

So where are those damned hens ? ask Joshi-Dhonde in unison.  "We not only caught them but took care of them for this very special occasion. The hens, or the spicy chicken made from them, will be served to you soon on the dinner table," said Deshmukh-Patil in one voice and winked.

If all of them come together you won ‘ t make out who belongs where, to the right or the left or the centre. Not even from their talk , or double talk if you may call it.

Sample this : "Ha Shivrayancha Maharashtra Aahe (This is the Maharashtra of Chhatrapati Shivaji)".  Or for that matter " Ya Phule, Shahu Ani Dr Ambedkaranchya Matimadhe... (In this land of Mahatma Jotirao Phule, Chhatrapati Shahu Mahajra and Dr Ambedkar ).  You still won ‘ t make where they belong. All of them say this.

Go a bit closer. Can you hear someone whispering about "Aadesh" (the order or directive), then this heron ‘ s got to be from Shiv Sena. He used to be tiger or a cub once, he has turned into a heron after Sena tasted power in the state and the centre.

Then there is another talking about "Saheb" and Saheb ‘ s prime ministerial ambitions. They sure are from the NCP. When they are not talking about Saheb and his ambitions, they can be found discussing sugarcane, grapes, horticulture ,oenoculture and lastly the SUV culture.

And then there are those who are full of themselves till they hear the mere mention of the word Congress HighCommand. For them, the sun rises in the north.

And finally you have the ones with grim and serious look on their faces. They can be always found humming "Ham Kare Rashtra Aaradhan (Let us worship the nation). Now, don ‘ t ask where they belong ? Where else but the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

But then I like them , the Baglas or the heorns. And since Maharashtra is a proud and great state of proud and great stalwarts like King Shivaji, King Sambhaji, King Rajaram, King Shahu, Mahatma Phule, Dr Ambedkar, Lokmanya Tilak, Swatantryaveer Savarkar, Y B Chavan, Vasantadada Patil et al, whom I did not get to observe or watch, I better watch their wannabe successors.

You never know when a heron can claim to be a swan. All he has to do is get his cronies to address him as swan. One lie, if said thousand times, has the menacing power to be taken for truth.