How Jaspal Bhatti’s Satire ‘Predicted’ Maharashtra’s Power Tussle

Jaspal Bhatti’s political satire similar to the current situation in Maharashtra.

(Photo Courtesy: Shemaroo screenshot)

As drama rages in Maharashtra’s politics, a clip from comedian Jaspal Bhatti’s 90s satirical show ‘Full Tension’ is doing the rounds on social media, as it has startling similarities with the ongoing power tussle in Maharashtra. The video is a satirical sketch where Bhatti runs a business of buying and selling MLAs.

Bhatti was known for his humorous take on issues which common folk were plagued by. In the no-cable TV era, Bhatti’s incisive commentary in shows such as ‘Flop Show’ and ‘Full Tension’ left viewers in splits.

Jaspal Bhatti and Savita Bhatti while shooting the TV series ‘Flop Show’. (Photo Courtesy: Savita Bhatti)

Maharashtra’s Political Tussle

After the Maharashtra Assembly elections on 21 October, the BJP emerged as the leading party as NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena contemplated an alliance. However, BJP didn’t have the majority to form the government on its own. Hence began a 19-day political impasse in Maharashtra and President’s Rule came into force in the state on 12 November.

On 22 November, the nation slept anticipating Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray’s accession to the CM’s office on Saturday, the events of the day took an unforeseen turn. NCP’s Ajit Pawar revolted against his party and swore in as Deputy Chief Minister as BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis came back as Chief Minister.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Bhatti’s ‘MLA Sale’ Sketch

With alliances being forged and MLAs being shuffled overnight, Maharashtra’s politics became a national spectacle. Quite similar to Bhatti’s sketch, government formation seemed more a numbers game than the result of an electoral democracy.

In his sketch, Bhatti attempts to sell three MLAs, promising the leaders of the fictitious political party winning majority in the Parliament.

As Maharashtra’s politics forsook ideological distinctions for the sake of majority, the idea of an MLA market doesn’t seem far-fetched anymore.

An anecdote stands out from this decades-old satire:

While party leaders and Bhatti are negotiating the price of an MLA, Bhatti promises that the MLA will come with the guarantee of a month, and if given a position of power, the MLA may stay for up to 5 years.

In Maharashtra, alliances seem to follow a similar formula rather than agreeing to shake hands on common political ideologies, MLAs seem to be negotiating their positions based on individual interests.

Taking into account the highly individualistic pursuit of power that the country has witnessed in Maharashtra’s power tussle, the aforementioned anecdote is eerily similar to Ajit Pawar’s coup against NCP which sent the Shiv Sena-Congress-NCP alliance for a toss.

Twitter On Bhatti’s ‘Prediction’

Twitter drew comparisons between Bhatti’s political satire and the current state of Maharashtra’s politics, crowning Bhatti as a man ahead of his times. His insightful political commentary seems rather prescient.