Chapter 5

It was a meeting they had all been waiting for. The government and the ARA, were waiting for so much time for this to happen. The occasion had finally arrived.

The meeting was set up, and the dignitaries had arrived. The chief minister was the first to arrive. Then came a Lambhorgini. Out of it, stepped out Chandru. Then, came a simple Maruti Suzuki vehicle, in which came Brahma. They never travelled together, lest operations be carried out on both their lives at the same time. Morever, Brahma rarely used a vehicle of style, as no one would generally expect him in a Maruti.

The meeting began. There were discussions made. This was when the chief minister started gauging the mood of the situation. He was ably supported by Arivuthangam, a young digilent IAS officer. They worked very intelligently as a team, and now knew how to get the right outputs from Brahma and Chandru.

Arivu: So how do you want a deal?

Chandra: We would love abolition of reservation.

Chief Minister: That is plain impossible. That will eat on our vote banks. We need to have some sort of back up in case of an electoral disaster.

Chandra: But you cannot play with us, and our people for your vote banks to stay alive.

Chief Minister: Politics has only one way, moving forward. I cannot move back in my political career after having witnessed success to the extent I have.

Chandra: It does not matter to us. All we want is a reduction in the reservation. However what you seem to be offering us is nothing close to what we would be happy with.

Arivu: Let's work it up. We are ready to reduce the reservation from 69% to 46%. Are you deal?

Chandra: Hmm.. I think that should be ...

Brahma: Cut the crap! We want it reduced to 23%. Nothing short of it will suffice.

Chief Minister: But that's way too much.

Brahma: Nothing is too much for the injustice meted out to us.

Chief Minister: I cannot give you that much liberty!

Brahma: Then face the music as you have already been doing.

Saying so, a furious Brahma, pulled Chandru out of the room, as he kept looking in disbelief, and bewilderment. But, Arivu kept smiling.