Chapter: 39; The backhand
Somewhere in the belly of Delhi, there was a room bustling with a meeting secretly at the night of a night.
As if History and power had conspired to put this room in their dark shadow, the male and female inhabitants' ambition vied with any king. Here sat the actual makers of the ruling party-founders who for decades shaped the political terrain. Faceless advisors to the world, silent patrons; behind the scenes, they pulled the strings of power.
Seated around a polished mahogany table, thick with an expensive cigar and tea aroma, they were discussing one man: Animesh Yadav, the young charismatic Prime Minister who had risen to power with their blessings.
"He was supposed to be our puppet," growled Manohar Pratap, a grizzled party veteran, the irritation dripping from the words. "We handpicked him because we thought he didn't have the spine to stand up against us. And look at him now! Already, he is pushing projects that we did not approve of; sidelining our loyalists and making decisions without even bothering to consult us!"
"Relax, Manohar," Rajni Sethi said, sharp as a knife. "Animesh was chosen because of his appeal to the masses. He had that clean image, that charisma that wins votes. The masses love him. But of course, you are right, he is becoming a problem. Too independent for his own good, actually.
"Independent?" snorted Dheeraj Malhotra, the party's treasurer. "He's reckless. Look at that Bureau of Internal Integrity he's formed. He's investigating corruption cases which could bring out skeletons from our own cupboard! That bureau is a ticking time bomb."
There was a momentary silence, with each man retreating into the recess of his mind. The stakes had suddenly gone much higher than what they had perceived. Animesh was to be a figurehead, a new face to attract the votes, while they pulled the strings from behind. But he had turned out to be much more than what they had bargained for-bold, decisive, unwilling to play according to rules.
Rajni leaned forward and, in a cold, calculated tone, said, "We underestimated him. We can still rectify this as there are only two ways: get him back to control or." She kept the threat that followed unspoken.
"Or what?" Manohar ventured cautiously.
"Or we replace him," Rajni said matter of factly. "We still have a grip on party machinery, media narrative, and funding. When he turns into a big liability, manufacture a scandal, loss of public support, and grooming of another to replace him.
"But that will not be so easy," interrupted Dheeraj. "The people love him. Even our rivals admire his reforms. He's not just a Prime Minister; he's becoming a symbol of change. Removing him could spectacularly backfire.
"Then we have to strike while the iron is hot." Rajni said. "Cut his wings before he soars too high. We start with his isolation, turn his allies against him, block his proposals in Parliament, hijack the media, and let him know who's boss."
Manohar slammed his fist on the table in anger. "If he doesn't fall in line soon, we'll have no choice but to neutralize him. The party's survival depends on it."
While the power brokers conspired behind closeted doors, away from public view.
Animesh sat sipping a cup of green tea, quite alone in his study. The appearance he gave outwardly was quite different from how one really ever could have sensed a veritable whirlpool brewed ceaselessly beneath the mask of unruffled serenity.
The system had already tipped him about the secret meeting. Although not quite clear just how it came to stand just yet, the affair gave indication of who is to be used and for what reason.
"System," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Give me the live feed of the meeting."
A ghostly screen shimmered in front of him, real quick, displaying a shadowy room with crystal-clear audio.
"Bring him back under control, or we replace him," Rajni's voice came through the feed.
Animesh leaned back in his chair, the tips of his fingers tapping out on the desk in perfect rhythm. Suspicion was turning out to be proved true: the people involved in his rise to power were indeed those conspiring against him-bypassing not the burden of his independence.
A thin grin danced on his lips, without a streak of humour behind it, however. "You all think you're controlling the game," he whispered low, "and yet all of you are players on my board.".
Rajni's scheme was falling in place. She drew out her blueprint with surgical precision.
"First, we isolate him. Divide and conquer. We need to turn his closest allies against him. His Chief Secretary, Mahesh, is loyal to a fault, but everybody has a price. Find his."
Manohar nodded. "And that Bureau of Internal Integrity? Too dangerous. If that starts sniffing into our dealings, it might bring the party down totally."
"We'll sabotage it," Rajni replied. "Plant evidence of corruption within the bureau itself. Make it a scandal before it becomes a weapon."
"And the media?" Dheeraj asked.
Rajni smiled coldly. "Leave that to me. I've already spoken to a few editors. They'll start running stories questioning Animesh's leadership—subtly at first, then more aggressively. The public's faith in him will be eroded, bit by bit."
Manohar leaned forward, his face grim. "And if he still doesn't fall in line?
Rajni's face hardened. "Then we'll leak the files. Every leader has skeletons in his closet. If we can't control him, we'll destroy him."
---
While the conspirators conspired, Animesh began to lay his own plans. He would go down fighting, pawns of so-called kingmakers.
"System," he ordered, "pull detailed profiles on Rajni Sethi, Manohar Pratap, and Dheeraj Malhotra. Everything I need to know-financial dealings, connections, weaknesses."
In less than a second, the system flashed detailed dossiers on each one of them. Animesh's eyes ran through each line, drinking in the details.
"Interesting," he muttered, his lips curling into a sly smile. "Rajni's offshore accounts in Mauritius. Manohar's undeclared properties in Dubai. And Dheeraj. ah, the treasurer with a penchant for creative accounting."
He leaned back, formulating his next steps.
"Activate the Black File Protocol," he instructed the system.
Ding! Black File Protocol Activated.
This protocol was documented evidence that he had with him against big people in the political circles. This he did gather not with the malicious intent to use against, but to put on guard whenever such times showed themselves to him.
"Prepare the media narrative," he said, "but make it subtle. I want public backing before the tornado hits."
---
Next morning
The conspirators were smug, confident in their plans, as they left the meeting room. But by dawn, cracks in their scheme began to appear.
A leading news channel ran a story about "undeclared assets" linked to a senior political strategist. Though no names were mentioned, Rajni Sethi's phone began ringing off the hook with reporters seeking comments.
Meanwhile, rumors of "financial irregularities" in the party treasury began filtering through the senior echelons of the party, bringing Dheeraj into the line of fire.
For Manohar, his name cropped up in a leaked document on illegal land deals in the National Capital Region (NCR), catching him off guard.
Animesh sat at his desk looking with silent satisfaction at the melodrama being enacted before his eyes. Divide and conquer. Quoting Rajni, he addressed himself thus,
That evening that evening Manohar and Rajni burst into Animesh's office, red faced in a towering anger.
"What is all this, Animesh?" Manohar roared, slapping a newspaper before him on the desk.
Animesh looked up from the papers he was reading. His face was calm, like he didn't even know what happened. "Meaning of what?" he asked innocently.
"Don't play games with us!" Rajni snapped. "These leaks. they have your fingerprints all over them."
Animesh leaned back in his chair, his eyes boring. "I don't control the media. But if I did, I'd make sure it focuses on the truth. Should I?"
"Let me make one thing crystal clear," Animesh added, cold as ice. "I am not your puppet. I never was. If you think you can manipulate me or undermine my government, you're sorely mistaken. The people elected me to lead, not to dance to your tune."
Manohar opened his mouth to strike back, but Animesh did not allow him. "And before you start thinking of the final blow, I am going to make sure of something: I know all about you. All about you. Take me down a peg if you will, and I'll take you down with me."
Rajni and Manohar were exchanging very uneasily glances now. For the first time perhaps, they understood that perhaps this young Prime Minister was something in underestimating.
"Now," Animesh said in a quiet firmness of his voice. "If that is all, I suggest you leave. I have a country to run."
Animesh watched them leave with a rare smile, an unsaid understanding. And with this, the game had finally begun.
[A/N
Hello... happy new year, guys.
I apologize, I was little late. I was also busy.
I have requested, please go and see my other novel, "Sovereign of the Eternal Throne."
You can see it in my profile.]