Page 168 of The Circle of Exile
“Altaf won’t be using them anymore because no Z+ security. But you were my Ghalib way before they started calling you that.”
She slipped her fingers into the hair at his temple, massaging them in his scalp. His eyes fell shut, like she knew they always did. Iram reached his ear with her mouth — “Ji, Janab.”
He got up with her in his arms and took her up the stairs, a dark night for them lit with moonbeams and her silent laughter.
————————————————————
Atharva strode into his party headquarters at sharp 7. The news about his resignation was not live yet. It would go live in an hour.
The atrium was empty, save for the security and some junior members setting up for the day. He nodded at them, their wariness not hidden from him. He did not stop to ask if Qureshi was in. Atharva knew he was. The moment he had gotten news of this coup, Atharva had stopped being lax about his partners. His spy network, the personal one, had been activated.
He knew exactly where Qureshi had been last night, who he had met and where he had spent the night. Not at home.
Atharva depressed the handle of Qureshi’s office and pushed the door in. Qureshi’s eyes rose to the door and the receiver in his hand slipped. Atharva stepped inside the room and closed the door.
The windows were bolted, the blinds halfway down, leaving the room only partly illuminated in sunlight. Fitting for a man who was between two shades himself
“Good morning,” Atharva nodded.
“Sit,” Qureshi got his bearings together, replacing the receiver back on the cradle. His eyes were small, having spent a long night arranging his ascent to power. Atharva knew from experience that even when your chips fell where you wanted them to, until the moment you swore that oath — you were vulnerable.
Atharva sat down on a visitor’s chair and crossed one foot over the other knee.
“You were my choice,” he said.
Qureshi startled.
“When Yogesh Patel had started to toy with President’s rule, you were my choice. In the event that I would have to step down, it would be you.”
“You would not go and the party is losing traction in all local elections…”
“You thought I would choose Samar,” Atharva went on. “Last time, you were relieved that I chose Iram as Party President in my absence. She was no threat to you. This time, you thought Samar and I had reconciled and my obvious choice would be him. You foresaw it way before any of this began. When my conversations with Momina Aslam were not even public knowledge. You started turning my MLAs before anything was publicly wrong.”
“I did not turn your MLAs, Atharva. You have been neglecting them. They have legitimate concerns and your decisions and arbitrary actions are not helping them. They are not helping you either.”
“And you couldn't tell this to my face?”
His mouth behind his beard tightened.
“At every stage of decision making, you have been consulted. Before anybody else was aware, you have been made aware. You either console yourself with this reasoning or keep it for members of KDP who will start asking tough questions. Don’t sell the bullshit to me,” Atharva smiled calmly.
“See, I made this as harmless as possible. You have served three good years, I will make sure the momentum only goes up from here. After the miserable year that we have had, a fresh start will help the party. A fresh face to write off all that you have done.”
“I do not mind you leading this, Qureshi. But I do detest the way you did it in.”
“I am sorry. This was the only way I saw fit.”
Atharva got to his feet.
“You already know it, but my resignation has been accepted by the Governor. It will be made public at 8.00 hours today. I will not be taking any press — written or recorded. A statement on my behalf will be released by Amaal. You will have no say in it. By 11.00 hours, KDP will announce its new CM face. You. I will not, in any way, publicly endorse you. You will have my vote in the party, that is it.”
He could see Qureshi’s throat work down a swallow.
“I wish you had faith in me to talk about your desire. I still wish you luck in running this state. We started it all for Kashmir.”
————————————————————
Office of the Chief Minister
