“Some of them checked with the survey team, but Vikram Rana’s list came the closest. That is why we picked the highest number of candidates from his list.”
“Do you remember, Gauri, when Atharva had proposed we go after the runners-up candidates of the last election and induct them in the party?”
“Yes. And you were against it.”
Samar met her gaze. And the realisation in her eyes came instantly.
“This is…” she stuttered. “We were worried that it would dilute our ideology, but… it hasn’t.” Her voice was incredulous. “And… we won…”
“Hmm.” Samar stared out at the setting sun from his office, recollecting one particular conversation with Vikram Rana when he had come back after winning the Panchayat election in Sirmaur.
“How did you manage to win with 70% margin?”
“The candidates were good, and HDP’s work during the cloudburst was fresh in everyone’s mind. It all worked in our favour.”
“Three out of five candidates were new joinees.”
“But they were embraced by the village.”
Samar’s blood boiled. Atharva had played him for a fool.
“I’ll be back, Gauri.”
He grabbed his car key and stormed out.
————————————————————
Samar ripped through Shimla’s roads, his barometer rising with every recollection. Atharva had been docile after their first cold confrontation on this topic and Samar had thought he had accepted the backseat. But he had been manipulating the fucking hell out of everything! What was his endgame? Samar had offered him better roles in HDP but he had denied them all. He had denied the opportunity to work for KDP remotely. Was HDP’s power centre his new goal?
Samar screeched on the brakes, slowing at the turning of the hill.
Atharva’s chance at leading in Kashmir was gone for good, at least for the near future. Was this his new alternative? Take over HDP slowly, without letting him realise it?
Samar sped up the slope to his house, the house he had helped set up when Atharva was thrown out of his home! When had Atharva become so cruel, so cold, so thankless? And when hadhebecome so naive?
Samar parked the car outside his bungalow and got out, pushing the gates open and storming up the dark porch. He was so charged up that he would win even in hand-to-hand combat if Atharva so much as tried to deny these allegations. Samar halted at the bright light bursting out of the window. He gaped, his feet arresting.
Iram was running with Yathaarth in her arms, Atharva behind her. They were laughing. He couldn’t hear anything, but Yathaarth screamed — “Baba cheaaattterrrr!” He heard that.
Dil-baro!
Atharva chased them around the sofa and through the tables. He wasn’t even trying to get hold of them, letting his fingers grab air around his son as his wife ran. Samar stared at the scene, giving himself a grounding moment. He could not barge into Atharva’s house and fight. He would not unleash his litany of allegations without giving it a second thought. His mind was angry, wandering away from him. He grabbed it with both hands and dragged it back.
Wait, think, perceive,he told himself.Analyse critically. If Atharva wanted to usurp his position in Himachal Development Party, why would he keep pushing him up? Why would he keep holding him as the leader?
Atharva was working on something else. It wasn’t just about surviving here. It wasn’t about getting to the top of HDP either.
Samar took a deep breath. Then released it.
He pulled out his mobile and scrolled to Adil’s number. Then pressed Dial.
“Hello, hello! Congratulations,Samarsahab,” Adil hollered. “Finally got the time to return my call?”
“Adil,” Samar said. “I am about to ask you one question. If you know the answer and cannot share it with me, I want you to tell me honestly that you cannot.”
“O…kay?”
Samar swallowed.
