The E Day (LIV)

Reviewed by Nathan, Ridhi, Ironmonkey and Padu.

“What’s the 1st hour?”

“Never mind, I am not attending”

I called Shantanu, “Hey, when will we have the results?”

“Hope you know the election procedures”

“Hmmm.. first the representatives for all the classes have to be elected. Then, the class reps will vote for the president.”

“Yup, so first of all the class reps have to be elected for all the classes of all departments of 2nd, 3rd and 4th years. This will be completed at the earliest by 5th hour i.e. around two. So the earliest time we would have the final result is by 2.30”

“How are the hopes?”

“4th years we have 5 sure for us, 6 for them and 1 in dilemma. Our years, it’s 7-7, neck on neck. 2nd years, we don’t have an exact estimate, possibly our department and IT, with you in our side we have them with us so 4, Divya influenced 2 classes in ECE, similarly in mech we have 2, but the other departments we have no clue.”

“So if only we have second years we will win.”

“Absolutely. Our seniors are working on the 4th year printing department. People say they are abstaining from the elections. Looks like we are almost neck on neck in 2nd years, if we lose to them in 4th years, we are gone.”

“Printing? I know Aiswarya akka, she might help us influence them”

“I personally do know the ‘would be’ class rep. Even then we are still unable to convince them. Lets see, if you want to give a try, very well, go ahead.”

“Update me on anything you get to know”

“Sure, keep track of the second year girls. You even know a few ECE and CSE guys, just keep in touch with them. Though they count as sure, we gotta be careful.”

“Get the car. Keep him safe”

“What?”

“Ha it’s here. Hey I am getting a bit busy. Will update you. Remember what I said. Bye”

Now, I had no intention of attending the classes. I walked with Anu to junior’s block. Our juniors seemed excited. We had a warm welcome, with them firing their election queries at us.

We influenced a few girls to influence their friends in other departments. I made an analysis on second year possibilities. In 3 departments the class rep election was neck to neck. In just 2 or 3 votes the fate of those classes may vary.

I sketched a plan, we decided on using girls’ power and guys’ weaknesses. I focused on those 2-3 dilemma votes in those departments. We looked for girls, who were friends with those people.

The girls brought them to meet me personally, and what else, I used all my charms to canvas their brains. Most of them did nod their heads well, but I didn’t think they were really convinced. We saw to that, we get some people, who supported us from that class, to encircle these dilemma guys so that, they were not approached by the other side.

Time was then 10.15AM. Anu, Divya and I were in our morning break rounds to our juniors. We tried, if we could pull in one or two of the opposite side’s 8 in our years, but as Shantanu said, they proved as sure as the 8 on our side. So, we decided, that, we would better work on 2nd years.

We walked in the corridors, crossing age old pillars and classrooms. We reached the main door of a 2nd year CSE class room. I climbed up the dais with a serious expression, with Anu and Divya waiting near the dais with similar expression.

“Friends, who are we voting for?”

“You”

“Well, well, we are voting for the good people. Fine…”

The would be class rep interrupted, “Akka, we are sure ka, there is nothing to worry about. You better concentrate on other departments.”

“I know that dear, I know that for sure. But now I have come only in regards with the other departments. Our victory lies in the verdict of the second years now”

Anu joined me, “2nd yr votes are going to be the deciding factor. Not just this year elections, even for the forthcoming years, if we have to win we have to make sure we have the other 2nd years also with us.”

I, “So, we want you to talk to your friends in other departments. We have to work fast, and work now. I am not asking you to cut classes. Classes are important, but something can change our future…”

“Akka, if you can tell us the departments to work on we will work more focused.”

“Most of the departments are in dilemma. Every single person you pull, in we would be at a vantage point.”

“But hasn’t Divya akka made sure of ECE?”

“Ya she has, but one class is still dangling. So friends we need to go now. Our hopes, now lie in your hands. All the best.”, I stepped down from the dais, and we repeated this for all the other ‘sure on our side’ 2nd year classrooms.

It was 11.00AM then, elections had got over in most of the 2nd and 3rd year classes and the results were very much as predicted. The dilemma printing rep had been elected, but he hadn’t voted till then. Out of the 6 classes, that had elected their reps in the 2nd years, 3 were ours and 3 theirs, and 1 unsure.

By lunch break, the overall result was, 13 for us and 14 for them.

I called Shantanu, “Hey”

“ya tell me”

“How is it going?”

“Nightmare. They are buying out the reps, who were supposed to vote for us.”

“What?”

“I gotta go”

I prayed like I had never done before. We had done everything in our power. There was nothing more we could do. We sat in our room in silence. I just rested on my bed, thinking of the elections. More than elections, I was deeply concerned about Anu and Kiran.