The grand hall loomed like a gilded cage, every crystal chandelier and marble column a testament to the Ranawats' suffocating grip on power. The very air seemed charged with unspoken threats, making even the most seasoned politicians shift uneasily in their formal attire, their eyes darting toward the entrance in anticipation.

Deepti Solanki commanded the space with practiced ease, her silk sari flowing like armor as she moved through the crowd. Her words carried steel beneath their velvet coating, each carefully chosen phrase reminding the party delegates of their place in her carefully constructed hierarchy. The opposition leaders huddled in corners like wounded prey, their hopes of succession crushed beneath the weight of her latest announcement.