Chapter 75 #4
"Mai, Shaurya Singh Shekhawat, Ishwar ki shapath leta hoon ki main vidhi dwara sthapit Bharat ke Samvidhan ke prati sachi shraddha aur nishtha rakhunga; main Bharat ki prabhuta aur akhandata ko akshunn rakhunga; main XXXX rajya ke Mukhyamantri ke roop mein apne kartavyaon ka shraddha aur nishthapurvak nirvahan karunga; tatha main bhay ya pakshpaat, anurag ya dwesh ke bina, sabhi prakar ke logon ke prati Samvidhan aur vidhi ke anusaar nyay karunga.
(I, Shaurya Singh Shekhawat, do swear in the name of God that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established; that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India; that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as the Chief Minister of the State of XXXX; and that I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will). "
Shaurya took the oath.
The ceremony had concluded, but the energy in the hall hadn't settled yet.
It felt as though everyone was still holding onto the moment they had just witnessed.
Shaurya Singh Shekhawat stood there for a second—calm, composed—but something about him had changed.
The weight of the office had now fully settled onto his shoulders.
Akansha kept clapping, her eyes fixed on her husband with quiet pride.
Shaurya noticed her and smiled faintly. Then, in a simple gesture, he folded his hands toward her.
It wasn't loud or dramatic, but it meant everything.
Around them, world leaders, national leaders, and business figures returned the "namaste," assuming it was meant for them—but Akansha understood clearly.
It was Shaurya's way of respecting her, thanking her for her support.
She shook her head slightly, brushing it off.
She hadn't done anything extraordinary—just what any wife would do.
It was her responsibility to stand by him.
But she hadn't done it out of duty; she had done it out of love.
And finally, she trusted him enough to accept that love openly.
After that, the ceremony slowly transitioned into lunch at Raj Bhavan.
The grand dining hall was lined with long tables, formal seating, and conversations that sounded casual on the surface but carried layers of politics underneath.
Leaders spoke about development, alliances, and future strategies—one topic flowing seamlessly into another.
Shaurya moved through the room with Siya in his arms. Akansha watched them with a soft smile and offered to take Siya from him, but he politely refused. He was comfortable holding her. It felt natural—even in a room full of powerful people.
At one point, he joined the Prime Minister, Siya still resting in his arms. Dev soon joined them, and the three of them began discussing the state's development, new policies, and opposition concerns. Despite being on different sides, the conversation remained focused and grounded.
Meanwhile, the CMO media cell moved quietly in the background, capturing every moment—Shaurya with leaders, with foreign delegates, with the Prime Minister. Every significant interaction was being documented.
But Siya remained untouched by all of it. She became the center of attention without even trying. She smiled, laughed, and reached out to people with innocent curiosity. And just like that, the atmosphere softened. Leaders who usually commanded rooms found themselves smiling at a child.
Through it all, Shaurya's eyes returned to her and Siya every few minutes.
Even while engaged in serious discussions, he made sure she was comfortable.
Akansha observed him quietly—how effortlessly he connected with people, how clearly he expressed his vision, how confidently he voiced disagreements without making anyone feel diminished.
There was power in his presence, control in his demeanor—and this was where he belonged.
He was made for this—for leadership. She knew he loved it.
And yet, he was ready to walk away from all of it for her.
She also knew that if she ever asked him to, he would leave everything behind in a heartbeat—without a single question.
She smiled, recalling the Prime Minister's words from earlier.
"I absolutely loved your work in the CR committee.
I read the report where you summarized the project till phase three.
I was on a call with Shaurya just before the elections, and instead of discussing politics, he was talking about how to sustain this project even if he wasn't re-elected.
He said it would succeed because it was in capable hands—yours and Mrs. Arora's.
He spoke about your vision and the progress you've made with such pride.
Honestly, you don't need a PR team when you have a husband like that," the Prime Minister had joked, and Akansha had laughed.
"Thank you so much for your kind words, sir. It truly means a lot. Your support has always been invaluable—especially for Shaurya," Akansha had replied, and he had nodded.
They had continued talking, and the Prime Minister joked again about how Shaurya had mentioned her as the author of the report two or three times during the entire presentation.
He had teasingly told him that both he and the central education minister had already understood how capable his wife was—and that he should now move on to the actual contents of the report.
Embarrassed, Akansha had apologized on Shaurya's behalf, which the Prime Minister dismissed with a laugh.
Akansha felt a deep sense of respect for the PM. There was an ease in talking to him that she hadn't expected. But she had also made a mental note—to give her husband a proper scolding later for embarrassing her like that.
She knew how deeply Shaurya loved her, and all she wanted was for him to do what made him happy. At the same time, a quiet worry lingered within her about his safety. She could only hope that Suraj and his team would neutralize any threats as soon as possible.
After lunch, the event gradually began to wind down. Conversations came to a close, guests started leaving, and the charged energy of the place slowly settled.
Shaurya, Akansha, and Siya finally stepped out of Raj Bhavan together. And for a brief moment—away from the cameras, protocols, and politics—it was just a family walking out after a long day.
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Dev and Aakriti wanted to celebrate Shaurya's win at his residence, but he refused.
Shaurya wanted to focus on passing the UCC bill in the assembly, and after securing the President's assent, he wanted to see it implemented in his state so that all citizens could have equal rights.
Especially women from certain communities—who were denied property rights or given unequal shares compared to their male siblings—deserved justice, and this was one of Shaurya's many dreams for his state.
The assembly sessions began. The Governor, Mr. Swaminathan, summoned the House, and in the first session, the MLAs took their oath and proceeded to elect the Speaker.
Shaurya planned to introduce the UCC bill in the final days of the session.
He took the opposition parties into confidence.
Although he had a clear majority in the assembly, he didn't want the bill to fail for any reason.
Being a controversial bill, he anticipated resistance from certain religious and influential groups who opposed the UCC, and he was aware that even within his own party, there were individuals who were not in favor of such reforms. So he took every precaution.
Dev assured him that the bill would pass.
The Ministry of Law drafted the bill, and when it came to Shaurya for approval, he suggested a few changes before giving his consent.
As planned, the Minister of Legal Affairs introduced the bill in the Assembly.
And just as Shaurya had expected, several members argued against it, accusing him of attempting to undermine religious freedom.
The uproar was intense but not unexpected.
However, as Dev had promised, with the support of some opposition members, the bill was passed.
A few of Shaurya's own MLAs voted against it, while some abstained—likely to appease their local constituencies—but the passage of the bill was a significant victory.
Shaurya expressed his gratitude to his party members, his Law Minister, and to Dev and his party for supporting the reform.
The bill was then sent to the Governor, and since it conflicted with existing central laws, it was forwarded for the President's assent. Shaurya had already spoken to the central government regarding this, and they had assured him that it would be approved.
That night, Dev called for a celebration, and everyone agreed to mark Shaurya's achievement.
Since Shaurya himself was satisfied—having accomplished one of the toughest goals outlined in his manifesto—he agreed.
He asked Akansha to invite Richa as well, knowing that his wife missed her best friend.
Akansha, however, was cautious. She didn't want her friend digging around for anything that could be used against her husband, so she warned her clearly not to cross that line.
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The party started on a lively note. Siya ran straight to Richa, excited to see her after so long. Akansha had forgiven Richa, but trusting her was still difficult. She could never be completely sure that Richa wouldn't try to scheme against Shaurya.
Rajnath was the last to arrive, and the moment he stepped in, he pulled Shaurya into a warm hug, a proud grin on his face. He was genuinely happy with everything Shaurya had achieved.
"Wah! Look at you—glowing like a newlywed groom. Were you ever this proud of me?" Dev asked dramatically.