Politics makes strange bedfellows...

Anil opened the wedding invitation. He was surprised to receive an invitation, and even more so when he read the contents.

“….Shri Rachianda Cariappa and his wife Jaya, request the pleasure of your company at the marriage of their son Ponappa to Kavya daughter of …..”. Ponappa, now that’s a name he had not heard in a long time. He felt a tingle, it had been 8 years, but the name could still evoke that response.

Anil Medappa was studying for his engineering degree in RVCE- Engineering college in Bangalore in 1990. He was in his third year, and that year had decided to run for the President of the student union. He was being opposed by a heavy weight called T. Suresh, who had political backing. The moment he applied for the candidate's position, he started receiving threats. His phone would ring in the middle of the night and a voice would ask him to withdraw his nomination. This went on for about two weeks. Anil refused to back down. They started harassing him during the day, his motor bike tyres of his Yezdi were slashed, they would not let anybody in the canteen serve him even a cup of tea.

One day Anil found a note, which fell out of his books. Thinking that it was another death threat, he picked it and was about to toss it into the dustbin, when he stopped and opened it. The message was simple and clear. It just said “ Go and meet R.C. Ponappa”.

R. C. Ponappa was a legend. An ex student of RVCE, his name still made some of the professors and students quake in their boots. Various urban legends about the man and his bravery had been circulating the college. His nick name was Acid Ponappa. The story goes that a bunch of goons attacked him with hockey sticks and cycle chains, they had cornered him near the college chemistry lab. Only to have one guy loose his eyesight, two break their necks and one to have third degree burns. There was no one to verify these stories, and as R.C did not either deny or agree, these rumours grew. He was a man of few words and a black belt in Karate.

Anil went to meet him the next day at his house. He introduced himself, and told him about the upcoming elections. R. C told him that he would pick him up the next day morning at 8 o’clock from his house. The next day in the morning sharp 8, R.C was out side his house on his Royal Enfeild. He and Anil went to the college together. R. C then walked into the canteen with him, ordered two cups of tea and bread butter sandwich. The canteen was packed with students and staff, when Anil entered with R.C, a hush fell onto the crowd. R. C then proceeded to eat the sandwich very slowly, the whole canteen watching every move he made. He then got up, and asked Anil to come till the door with him, at the door, he shook hands with Anil and looked around the room slowly and left.

Anil won the elections in a land slide victory. He stood unopposed, his opponent, suddenly fell very sick.

Anil was definitely going to attend the wedding….only if it was to see who was brave enough to marry the man…..