West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, expresses ignorance about the scheduled December 6 INDIA alliance meeting in New Delhi, stating, "I don't know about the India alliance meeting. No one told me about the meeting nor a call came. No information." Despite earlier reports of Trinamool Congress' inclusion, Banerjee asserts no official communication. The meeting, crucial in the wake of BJP's gains in state elections, aims to strengthen the opposition against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Banerjee's absence adds intrigue to the alliance dynamics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, emphasizing the challenge in uniting diverse political entities under the INDIA banner.            

Former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, now Madhya Pradesh Congress chief, is reportedly under pressure to step down after the party's significant defeat in the state elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 163 seats out of 230, more than double the Congress's 66 seats. Despite anticipating anti-incumbency against the BJP, the Congress campaign lacked impact. Nath's decision to deny committed seats to ally Samajwadi Party further strained relations within the alliance. The defeat raises questions about the Congress strategy for the upcoming general elections against the BJP and has already shown signs of strained relationship among the INDIA bloc.

25 BJP legislators met former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who is seen as a key contender for the CM post after the party surged to a dominant victory, winning 115 seats. No candidate was named ahead of polls. Nasirabad MLA Ramswaroop Lamba said people backed BJP due to PM Modi and Raje's work, adding MLAs will support the choice made by the party leadership. Union Ministers Shekhawat and Meghwal also remain in contention for the plum role apart from MPs Balaknath and Diya Kumari. According to HT sources, BJP state in-charge Arun Singh and state unit president CP Joshi are in Delhi for a meeting with the party high command. They met party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, HT said.

A day after defeating KCR's BRS, Telangana's Congress MLAs authorized the party high command to choose their leader. State chief Revanth Reddy proposed the resolution allowing AICC to pick the CM for the state, which 10 MLAs backed. Senior leader DK Shivakumar stated, "AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge will take a call on who should become the Chief Minister." Earlier reports predicted Revanth Reddy was the frontrunner after extensive campaigning, though other heavyweight options like CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Ex-state chief Uttam Kumar Reddy also exist. Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao said chances are high for Revanth to become the CM. But the last word rests with the Congress central leadership on who will steer Telangana next after reclaiming power from KCR. 

Congress is yet to name a CM face with multiple contenders emerging after it won 65 of 119 seats dethroning KCR's BRS in Telangana. State chief Revanth Reddy, 54, is the forerunner for the post after extensively touring Telangana energizing cadres and drawing attention to issues plaguing citizens. His fierce campaigning is credited as catalyzing the resurgence. As the Congress Legislature Party meeting is underway, Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao said, "We will have to see what is decided in the CLP meeting. Most probably, Revanth Reddy has chances to become the Chief Minister going by all the work he did." The other contenders for the post feature, CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka due to his 1,400 km march that helped gauge voter issues to guide the comeback strategy. Ex-state chief Uttam Kumar Reddy also retains strong support despite the 2021 replacement.

As Congress lost 3 heartland polls, West Bengal CM and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee pinned the defeats on the lack of the INDIA bloc seat-sharing strategy. She asserted, "Congress has won Telangana. They would have won MP, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan. Some votes were cut by INDIA parties. This is the truth." Emphasizing pre-poll unity, Mamata argued "Along with ideology, you need to have a strategy. If there is a seat-sharing arrangement, BJP won't come to power in 2024." As Banerjee stressed that it is a "defeat of the Congress, not the people", Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, too, suggested that regional parties must lead the fight against BJP in areas they hold sway in. Though the remarks signal rumblings inside the INDIA bloc, Mamata stressed the alliance "will rectify mistakes" ahead of 2024.

The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), an alliance of six parties led by former IPS officer Lalduhoma has emerged victorious in the hard-fought Mizoram election winning 27 seats, surpassing the halfway mark in the 40-seat Assembly. Key players like incumbent CM Zoramthanga's MNF, Congress, and BJP were also in the fray for the 40 seats on November 7. However, a major upset saw CM Zoramthanga himself lose his constituency to ZPM's Lalthansanga by 2,101 votes. While ZPM marked a clear victory with 27 seats, Zoramthanga's MNF ended up with 10, losing 17 seats from the last 2018 elections. The BJP (2 seats) and the Congress (1 seat) scored below expectations. "The CM will meet the governor around 4 pm. He is likely to offer his resignation," his office stated. With Lalduhoma securing a clear win to spearhead the government, ZPM will hold a meeting of newly elected MLAs to decide on the formation. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a warm welcome in the Lok Sabha as the Winter Session of Parliament commenced, following the BJP's triumph in assembly polls across three heartland states. Chants of "teesri bar Modi sarkar" resonated as BJP MPs celebrated their electoral victories, retaining power in Madhya Pradesh and securing wins in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The absence of projected chief ministerial faces underscored the party's focus on collective leadership. The Winter Session, spanning 15 sittings until December 22, promises crucial discussions amid the political landscape reshaped by the recent poll outcomes.

The winter session of Parliament begins today with the ruling BJP seeking to corner the opposition over recent state poll victories. However, the spotlight will also be on an ethics panel report on Trinamool MP Mahua Moitra amid allegations of receiving cash and expensive gifts for raising parliamentary questions. The report will be tabled in Lok Sabha today. Additionally, the government has presented a heavy legislative agenda including overhaul of colonial-era criminal laws and a bill on appointments to the Election Commission. Meanwhile, the opposition seeks discussions on issues like the Manipur situation, inflation and alleged misuse of agencies like ED. But BJP's electoral dominance may limit scope for criticism.

Ahead of the winter parliamentary session, Prime Minister Modi advised the opposition to engage in constructive discussion rather than vent their anger over electoral defeats. Referring to the BJP's strong performance in state polls, PM Modi said opposition parties should learn from their losses and avoid negativity. He stated the poll results are encouraging for those committed to people's welfare and India's development. However, PM Modi said parliament is meant for meaningful debate and so opposition MPs should discuss issues positively rather than disrupt proceedings due to resentment over their defeat in state elections. He implied that hostility will be counterproductive.