Aparna Roy stood ramrod straight within her party office in Kolkata, before her were all her party members congregated who gazed at her reverentially. Aparna said, ' The West Bengal Assembly elections are our foremost target now having bagged the Kolkata Municipal Corporation seats and mayorship.' 'But maam, they are a good four years away?'asked one of the party members. Aparna smiled a little to herself and before answering looked at Rajat once, who was regally leaning against a wall and was smirking because he already knew her answer. 'Exactly its just four years away. Election propaganda does not start a month or two before the elections. We have to start wooing the voters ages away even before they realise that they are being wooed.'quipped Aparna.' But maam this means that we have to choose our Chief ministerial candidate from here on and project that person into the limelight right from now, isnt it? After all that person has to gain the people's confidence.'said Rehan, another party member. 'Absolutely.'answered Aparna pensively, this was the moment she had been waiting for. 'We think the KMC mayor, Rajat Sen is the right person to be chosen as the prospective CM from our party,ABNS because he is already a popular public figure.'said the party spokesperson Shyamlal Dass. A pregnant silence pervaded the room as Aparna gave Shyamlal a hooded glance before looking towards Rajat. She finally broke the silence,'Rajat, do you agree to the proposition?'she asked quietly. Rajat pushed off the wall looked at the woman he loved squarely before saying 'Yes.' The single word was able to rattle Aparna when greater impediments left her unscathed. Her lover stood as the biggest obstacle between her and her dream. Aparna was a ruthless woman but hurting him would be tantamount to hurting herself and letting him win would also destroy her. She was sure to be damaged any which way she went bacause she had dared to balance the two most dangerous games of the world - love and politics. Letting a deep breath out she faced her party members once again and asked ' Do you all agree with Shyamlalji?' Half of the people gathered shouted out a yes, while the rest chanted a single word 'Aparna'.
Her decision was made. She would be battling Rajat in this game. Aparna looked at Rajat who stared at her with an unreadable expression but for a split second she saw a broken look flit across his face. Yes she thought, my heart too is breaking but I have made my choice and so have you.
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The Broken Lyre
General FictionAparna Roy was a small town girl. But her dreams caressed the sky. Her beauty lay in her intelligence and resilience. She was a warrior woman, who fought against family, society and tradition to achieve her dreams. In her ambition she finds yet anot...
