Chapter 66 #3
The party meeting stretched for three and a half hours.
Shaurya presented a version of himself far different from the one he had shown his loyalists—the composed, neutral man unaffected by his parents' arrests.
Here, he projected a man who was not entirely happy to sit calmly and watch as his parents suffered, yet had no choice.
His father had committed the unthinkable, betraying the trust of the party and the people.
Even Shaurya didn't realize that he was about to deliver a historic speech, one that would leave an impression not only on his supporters but also on rivals and those who had once been loyal to his father.
"Friends, seniors, and fellow workers of our party,
Today is not an easy day for me to stand before you—but leadership is not about choosing easy days. It is about choosing the right one.
This party was not built for one individual, one family, or one generation. It was built by our founder—my grandfather—on the values of integrity, sacrifice, and service to the people. Those values are bigger than all of us, including me.
Let me say this clearly and without any ambiguity: this decision is not about the reputation of the party alone. It is about the standards we set for ourselves and the responsibility we carry toward the people who placed their trust in us.
I want to place something on record today.
If any member of our party is ever wrongly arrested by state or central agencies, I will fight tooth and nail to prove their innocence and to bring them out—lawfully, transparently, and without misusing power.
That is not a favour; it is my duty. And in this case too, the party will do everything that can and should be done from our side, within the framework of law.
No one is being abandoned. No one is being prejudged.
At the same time, when serious allegations and an arrest begin to cast a shadow on the organisation itself, silence or inaction is not neutrality—it is complicity.
The decision taken by the General Secretary, the Treasurer, and our senior leaders to suspend the Party President is therefore an organisational necessity, not a personal choice.
I also want to say this as someone who believes deeply in this country and in public life: politics is not an end in itself.
Power is not the destination. The people are.
Every decision we take must ultimately benefit the people of this state, because they are above all of us—above individuals, above offices, and above internal equations.
Anyone who believes that personal loyalty, personal protection, or personal gain should come before the interests of the people is not just acting against this decision—they are acting against the founding values of this party itself.
I am not asking you to choose between a son and a father. I am asking you to choose between loyalty to an individual and loyalty to the party, its founding ideals, and the people we serve.
I stand fully with the General Secretary, the Treasurer, and the senior leadership in this decision. I ask you to stand with them—and with the values that brought us all into public life.
This is a moment of correction, not collapse. If we stand together now, history will remember this not as a crisis—but as the moment we proved that this party exists for the people, and will always put the people first.
Thank you."
Shaurya's speeches were known as some of the best in the country.
His clarity, conviction, and confidence drew everyone's attention, making them listen intently.
On top of that, his strong voice and precise diction were a blessing, and the most important part was that he knew exactly when to assert authority and when to be gentle and persuasive.
It was crucial that party members didn't lose faith in the leadership—they needed to feel that the party would not abandon them for the sake of reputation or power. They had to know the party would both support them in their struggles and uphold its founding values.
This was the moment for Shaurya to cement that trust, and he executed it perfectly. Yet, he would only understand after a few weeks that this speech hadn't just influenced the listeners—it was a historic one, a masterstroke even for those who wished to see him out of power.
As Shaurya finished, the room fell into a brief, heavy silence. Eyes that had been skeptical, anxious, and even defiant now stared at him with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Some mouths opened slightly, as if they wanted to speak but couldn't find the words.
A few senior leaders exchanged glances, realizing the gravity of what had just happened. His words had struck the balance perfectly—neither a personal vendetta nor a cold corporate directive, but a statement of principle that reminded them why they had joined the party in the first place.
Manoj, the south wing committee president, was the first to break the silence. "Shaurya Saab... that was... remarkable," he said, his voice low but filled with genuine admiration. Others nodded, murmuring their agreement.
Even those who had quietly doubted him, who had questioned his approach over the past five days, now felt a shift inside. The calm authority in his voice, the precision in his choice of words, the way he spoke with conviction yet never condescended—it was magnetic.
A senior party leader who had been visibly tense since Virendar Shekhawat's arrest leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly. "He's... he's turned a potential crisis into an opportunity," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Some younger leaders, inspired, began whispering excitedly among themselves. Shaurya had reminded them what it meant to be part of this party, what loyalty to the people really meant, and most importantly, that leadership was about courage and clarity in the face of chaos.
By the time the murmurs had settled, it was clear: every person in the room had been impacted.
Even the skeptics could not deny it—the speech wasn't just a statement, it was a turning point.
And Shaurya knew, as he looked around the room, that he had just taken the first decisive step toward reshaping not only his party but the entire political landscape around him.
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"Virendar Shekhawat was suspended from the party.
General Secretary Mr. Naveen Tiwari and Party Treasurer Mr. Naresh Jaiswal just confirmed it.
Mr. Tiwari has been elected as the interim Party President.
Here are more details," the reporter said, before the screen shifted to footage outside the party headquarters, showing senior leaders addressing the media and announcing the party's stance.
Shaurya stood silently beside them, taking a step back, letting the senior leaders speak.
His gesture of respect for their positions drew attention, with people commenting on his humility and composure.
He may have been the one orchestrating everything behind the scenes, but there was no need to flaunt it.
"Sir... How do you feel about this? Your father got removed from the party president post. Do you think this will affect the party's performance in the polls?" one journalist asked.
"Sir... Do you think you will remain the party's choice for CM candidate, or will there be a new candidate?" another pressed.
"If there's a change in the CM candidate, how will you take it? Will you fight back?" a third asked, barely giving him time to answer.
"Do you think your father was guilty? Is that why he was removed?" yet another added.
Questions kept pouring in, and this time Shaurya didn't step back. Frankly, he didn't want to. This was the moment to answer, to plant subtle signals that only the public could read, while keeping those closest to him unaware.
Sometimes clarity only comes from a distance; being too close blinds people.
Shaurya was playing on that. If he could make the public believe he was fighting corruption, which he was, his approval ratings would soar—but his party members couldn't see the same.
If they did, they might question him, challenge him, and even remove him from the Chief Minister position within days.
It would be dangerous for them to keep him in power once they understood how brutally he cracked down on corruption.
If he hadn't spared his own father, he wouldn't hesitate to act against them either.
And the moment they truly realized this, they wouldn't wait—they would move fast and throw him out of power.
He had to maintain the balance. His father had fallen because of his own corruption, and Shaurya would leave no one unaccountable—but that truth couldn't be revealed yet. Not now. This was the time for strategy, precision, and patience.
"To correct you, Mr. Virendar Shekhawat wasn't removed; he was just suspended.
The party has ordered a thorough inquiry, and it's for our leadership to decide how to proceed.
I will always follow the Chief—the Party President and high command—on matters related to the party.
Whether he was guilty or not, let the courts decide.
I strongly believe in our judicial system.
As I said earlier, the law must take its course.
No individual is bigger than the state or the country.
If he is found guilty, I will welcome whatever punishment the system prescribes.
"As for the CM candidacy, that's a decision for our party elders. I cannot comment; I will follow whatever they decide.
"And regarding whether this situation will affect our party at the polls.
.. perhaps it will. But all I ask of the people of this state is to look at the progress we've made in the last five years.
Every sector has seen development in one way or another.
Our party founder implemented many policies that benefitted the state, and over the years, our party contributed five Chief Ministers, each making significant contributions.