Page 239 of The Circle of Exile
“And if we don’t?”
“Then I have independents to form the government.”
“Do you?”
Yogesh Patel’s eyebrows drew together. Atharva did not need to say more. Their eyes met, and his nose flared.
“You can form a government with HDP or you have a hung assembly. The latter is a possibility right now with HDP and independents both not willing to go with you.”
“And what will you get out of this? Your partners have not even given you an official post in any of your regional parties yet. And you are holding both bargaining chips for them?”
“Open my way back to Kashmir.”
Yogesh Patel sighed.
Atharva could see his helplessness in that breath. And if a man that powerful was helpless… it deflated Atharva for a split second. But then he thought about Srinagar. About the waters of Dal he hadn’t touched and the lotuses he hadn’t bargained for. He thought about his grandfather’s house and the upkeep that it must need — not the regular clean-ups but the yearly plumbing, tending, plastering. He thought about Budgam and Begumjaan’s farms.
“You can do it, Yogesh bhai. It’s been two years.”
“Qureshi holds the power in Jammu-Kashmir right now — both hard and soft. KDP has absolute majority. I can only lift the externment if they stop talking about you. But Qureshi is still keeping you alive in public discourse. In every session, there is some MLA who brings up a question-hour debate about the bombing. The media is Momina’s. Every time, a different way of needling. I don’t need to tell you that Qureshi and Momina are working together on this.”
“I know.”
Yogesh Patel did not turn completely but his eyes sharpened. Their gazes held — “Since you meandered this election to your liking, you can do the same for Jammu & Kashmir.”
Atharva blinked. A man like this would grasp the entirety of an issue from just a glance.
“April 2020. It’s not too far away. If Janta scores more than KDP, if the CM changes, then the conditions may become conducive for your return.”
Atharva blinked again. This was hope enough. This was exactly what he had wanted to hear. And if one thing he was sure about in politics, it was Yogesh Patel’s word.
“Give Samar Law & Order and Finance. The Deputy also remains HDP’s. And sweeten the deal with Agriculture so that you can keep Home,” Atharva offered.
Yogesh Patel thought for a moment, then gave a nod.
“Then we can go inside and present this good news.”
He pivoted on his heels and found three pairs of eyes on them. The men hadn’t moved from their places but their eyes were zeroed in on them. That is why Yogesh Patel had kept himself turned away, his mouth specifically.
“Atharva?”
“Hmm?” He turned again, giving the room his back.
Yogesh bhai pierced his eyes with that sharp look — “What do you say we ally in Punjab and Uttarakhand?”
“Go into elections together? But we have not even sprouted yet.”
“The offer is on the table. We can talk more. And I know how high you have sprouted.”
Atharva chuckled.
“Let’s talk more.”
45. Sometimes I feel I am married to half a dozen different men!
“Sometimes I feel I am married to half a dozen different men!”
Politician, political consultant, negotiator, party worker, guitarist, and when none of those were active, mostly at night — secret recipe Maggi maker. Iram grabbed the discarded kitchen rag and cleaned the mess Atharva had made as he had cooked them a batch of Maggi. The romance of that first time that he had made it was now a headache to clean.
