Monday 11 May 2015

The Edge of Power

Presenting The Edge of Power by Tuhin A. Sinha.

Here is the summary of the book:

The heinous gang-rape of Nirbhaya has jolted the Indian nation out of its apathy. But rape and violence against women are only symptomatic of a deeper malaise that ails the nation: the total collapse of governance under the weak and vacillating PM, Devender Singh. Ironically, aiding the PM and his Indian Democratic Party (IDP)s cling to power is a casual and largely indifferent Opposition led by the venal Ravi Nehra. A ray of hope finally emerges when ex-journalist and RTI activist Daivik Verma and the gorgeous Catherine Khan, a leading Bollywood film-star with a mysterious lineage, decide to challenge the existing system by floating a new political party. But lack of funds and cadre support thwarts their efforts, their only recourse being Shruti Ranjan, who had sworn off politics three years ago. Will Nirbhayas gruesome rape and her subsequent death bring a disillusioned Shruti Ranjan back into the political fray, dominated by crime lords and bankrolled by industrial barons? Will the trio manage to stage a coup and dethrone Indias worst regime? Will the land of great leaders like Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka and Akbar, finally get a dynamic Prime Minister she so badly needs? A racy political thriller, The Edge of Power is a powerful inquiry into the underbelly of Indian politics. It raises important questions over the funding of Indian political parties, while presenting Shruti Ranjan, the immensely popular protagonist of The Edge of Desire, in a refreshingly new, resurgent avatar.

Politics is as much a profession as it is a game. Not for the faint-hearted this game of chess can be. And author Tuhin A. Sinha portrayed that perfectly in his book 'The Edge of Power', which features prominent character Shruti Ranjan, previously seen in Sinha's previous work 'The Edge of Desire'.

Taking cues from one of the most heinous crimes of modern Indian history, the Nirbhaya Case. Sinha spins an aftermath of sorts that feels more real than fictious. From the shady opposition leader, to the ministers as corrupt as they come, clinging to the chair with all their might. To the decisively naive and energetic ex-journalist RTI activist and gorgeous Bollywood actress (with her own share of secrets) who decide to create a party of their own in the wake of the government's inability to take the needed approach.

Keeping an energetic candidate from entering politics due to lame reasons of the party not having the funds to support him. To the opposition only raising issue in Parliamentary meetings that do not hurt their side in anyway. To the entry and return  of veteran and honest politician (rather one of the few) Shruti Ranjan, whose experiences and support gave Daivik's party the much needed boost.

The author goes a long way in highlighting the issues faced by the government and how they developed the grass roots. A bad tree can only be removed by pulling out its roots before it begins to infect the others. That is what the Indian Government sorely needs and something that Sinha portrays in his work of fiction. Of course, it drags a lot in places but that I suppose can be forgiven given the fact that the author succeeds in putting his ideas across .....

"Politically charged with a strong sense of reality"
Genre :     Adult, Contemporary, Politics

Publisher: Hachette Books

Release Date: 18th December, 2013

My Copy: Hachette India

Rate:             3/5 (Liked It)

Buy:         Amazon 

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