The Road to Power
August 7, 2009 – 12:30 AMJadavpur, Kolkata
The system interface hovered in front of Aritra, its glow illuminating his sharp features as he meticulously scanned through the options. His heart pounded in rhythm with the realization of what lay ahead. State elections were approaching, and this was his chance. A chance to cement his influence, not just in the shadows of technology and economics but in the political foundations of the nation itself.
He took a deep breath, calculating his next steps.
Aritra wasn't interested in rigging elections or underhanded tactics. He had the resources, the intelligence, and now, the perfect tool—the Talent Recruitment System—to build something from the ground up. The idea was simple: select the best, most capable individuals, ensure their loyalty, and let them rise through the ranks with the right strategy, resources, and training. This wasn't about shortcuts. It was about placing the right people in the right places.
He navigated to the Political Talent section and filtered by election level. The upcoming state elections had four key battlegrounds:
Arunachal Pradesh – 60 seats
Haryana – 90 seats
Jharkhand – 81 seats
Maharashtra – 288 seats
Winning any of these states would set the stage for larger national ambitions. He needed to estimate how much it would take to strategically place loyal candidates in each region, ensuring they had the charisma, leadership, and ability to win fairly while aligning with his vision.
His fingers tapped against the screen as he analyzed the costs:
Tier 3 Politician (MP level) – 50 million USD each
Tier 2 Politician (MLA level) – 10 million USD each
Tier 1 Politician (Municipality leader) – 1 million USD each
For a full-scale state-level push, he needed MLA-level politicians—strong individuals who could win seats, shape policies, and create a network of influence.
Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) – Estimated 600 million USD Haryana (90 seats) – Estimated 900 million USD Jharkhand (81 seats) – Estimated 810 million USD Maharashtra (288 seats) – Estimated 2.88 billion USD
The total cost would exceed 5 billion USD if he aimed for a clean sweep. A massive investment, but the returns? Political power, state-level policies, access to resources, and long-term stability for his empire.
He leaned back, eyes sharp with thought. How would he approach this?
Step One: Candidate Selection
Buying talent from the system wasn't enough. He needed the right faces, the right backgrounds, and the right public images. People the voters could trust.
He selected a mix of experienced administrators, grassroots activists, and young charismatic leaders, ensuring a blend of credibility and fresh appeal. Each of them would have a clean record, strong community ties, and the ability to handle political pressure.
Rule one of politics: People follow those they believe in.
Rule two: Belief is built through perception.
Aritra smirked. And who controlled perception? He did. OmniLink did.
Step Two: Narrative Control
With OmniLink's vast reach, he had access to millions of users, influencers, and engagement algorithms. He would use it to push narratives, showcase these candidates as reformers, problem-solvers, and visionaries.
Not fake promises, but genuine solutions to local issues—employment, infrastructure, education, and development. The system would help craft tailored campaigns for each region, addressing the specific pain points of the electorate.
Aritra envisioned it all—
Targeted media outreach through OmniLink, ensuring maximum visibility.
Grassroots mobilization, organizing community-driven movements for real engagement.
Live interactions, problem-solving broadcasts, and direct public feedback sessions.
The goal? To make his candidates not just politicians, but trusted leaders before election day even arrived.
Step Three: Self-Funded Strategy
5 billion USD was a lot, but not impossible. He wasn't going to take a single cent from external investors—this would be his operation, fully independent.
Merchandising and Licensing: With 180+ million average views per anime episode, merchandise and licensing deals were bringing in hundreds of millions.
NovaTech Expansion: With 250 million NovaOne phones sold, upcoming releases and software ecosystems would fuel steady revenue streams.
Internal Fund Management: Every dollar would be strategically reinvested, ensuring complete control without external interference.
Politics wasn't just about money—it was about where and how it was used. Every dollar spent on the right campaign, the right event, the right narrative, would bring a tenfold return.
Step Four: Long-Term Vision
This wasn't just about winning elections. This was about building a controlled ecosystem where laws, policies, and governance aligned with his vision for technological dominance and stability.
Education Reforms: Integrating AI-driven smart classrooms into state curriculums, ensuring a tech-savvy generation loyal to NovaTech's infrastructure.
Economic Growth: Using political influence to secure state contracts, infrastructure projects, and industry regulations that benefited his corporate empire.
Media Expansion: Gradually shifting state-controlled media narratives to align with his global vision, ensuring public trust remained in his favor.
The Final Decision
Aritra exhaled, staring at the glowing interface.
He had the strategy, the resources, and the system to execute it flawlessly. If he succeeded in this first phase, the next step would be national-level dominance, shaping economic and technological policies at the highest level.
This was just the beginning of something far greater.
His lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk as he finally tapped the confirmation button.
Transaction Confirmed. Processing Talent Allocation…
The first wave of political talents was being integrated into reality. His grand experiment had begun.
He stepped back inside, closing the balcony doors behind him. The night outside remained unchanged, but within him, something had fundamentally shifted.
For the first time, he wasn't just playing the game. He was designing it.
To be continued…