Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow, addressing the ongoing tussle over withheld central funds. Accusing the Centre of stopping funds for various programs, including Banglar Bari housing scheme, Banerjee highlighted concerns about the rural roads and health department funds being halted. She criticized the saffron painting directive, asserting the state's white and blue brand. The Trinamool Congress had previously protested the pending dues issue, with National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee likely to accompany Mamata Banerjee. The meeting follows heightened tensions over financial allocations between the state and the Centre.

The Congress party announced a National Alliance Committee (NAC) with five senior leaders to negotiate seat sharing with INDIA allies for the upcoming 2024 parliamentary elections. Chaired by Mukul Wasnik, the committee includes Ashok Gehlot, Bhupesh Baghel, Salman Khurshid, and Mohan Prakash. The move comes ahead of the fourth meeting of the INDIA group in Delhi, aiming to expedite discussions delayed by Congress. The inclusion of experienced leaders indicates a strategic approach to navigate the complexities of seat adjustment. The INDIA alliance meeting is expected to set deadlines for finalizing seat arrangements in preparation for the upcoming general elections.

Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar slammed Trinamool MP Kalyan Banerjee for mocking him during a protest by suspended MPs at Parliament's Makar Dwar. Dhankhar termed the mimicry "ridiculous", "shameful" and "unacceptable". Banerjee's antics were filmed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his phone. As the House reconvened, Dhankhar condemned the incident, differentiating between political differences and insulting constitutional authorities. He disapproved of senior leaders engaging in objectionable acts like video recording colleagues mimicking the Chair. Dhankhar asserted such theatrics diminish Parliament's dignity and set a poor precedent of behavior unbecoming of lawmakers.

On Tuesday, 49 more opposition MPs were suspended from the Lok Sabha, taking the total number of suspended lawmakers to 141. The suspended MPs include senior leaders like Shashi Tharoor, Supriya Sule and Farooq Abdullah. This follows the unprecedented suspension of 78 MPs from both houses on Monday. The government justified the mass suspensions as necessary to ensure smooth legislative functioning amid disruptions. However, opposition leaders slammed the move, accusing the BJP of murdering democracy and stifling dissent. NCP's Sharad Pawar wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman alleging even some MPs not involved in disturbances were suspended. With depleted opposition numbers, the government can now easily push through key bills without debate, critics say.

In an extraordinary move, 79 MPs were suspended on Monday amid ongoing protests over last week's Parliament security breach, totaling nearly 100 suspensions. The list of those suspended includes the Congress' Jairam Ramesh, KC Venugopal, and Randeep Surjewala from the Rajya Sabha. From the Lok Sabha, the Congress' Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who is also Leader of the Opposition, and Gaurav Gogoi have been suspended. The suspended MPs, constituting a quarter of opposition members, expressed outrage at the government's handling of the issue. Gaurav Gogoi criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah's "sheer arrogance" for addressing the issue through media rather than Parliament, highlighting the opposition's frustration over the lack of accountability following the security lapse.

The INDIA bloc, a coalition of Opposition parties, encounters a setback with half of its Rajya Sabha and one-third of Lok Sabha MPs suspended during the Winter Session. Suspension stems from protests seeking a statement on the Lok Sabha security breach. Mamata Banerjee deems it a "mockery of democracy," alleging BJP fear, while Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge laments, "all democratic norms had been thrown into the dustbin," describing the situation as a "bloodbath" in Rajya Sabha. TMC's Sougata Ray views it as a "murder of democracy," and RJD's Manoj Jha sarcastically congratulates "Modi ji on an opposition-mukt Parliament," considering the suspension a "badge of honour." The move raises concerns about democratic norms.

The Congress Working Committee will convene on December 21st to formulate the party's plan for contending the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The meeting follows a gathering of opposition INDIA bloc parties two days prior to discuss presenting a united front against the BJP. Congress aims to swiftly launch its campaign by focusing on key issues like unemployment and inflation while coordinating with allies on seat sharing and rallies. The proposed summit will also examine recent assembly election defeats and victories to understand reasons and strategize moving forward. With Rahul Gandhi potentially embarking on a hybrid yatra, Congress seeks to regain ground ahead of national elections.

In a strategic move following their setback in Madhya Pradesh elections, the Congress party has appointed Jitu Patwari as the new state unit chief, replacing former chief minister Kamal Nath. The decision underscores a focus on the influential Other Backward Classes (OBC) electorate, constituting over 50% of voters in the state. Despite Patwari's recent electoral defeat, the Congress aims for a fresh start ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections. The party also unveiled key appointments reflecting generational and caste balancing, with Umang Singhar as Legislative Party leader and Hemant Katare to potentially retain Brahmin community support.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla dismisses any connection between the suspension of 13 MPs and the recent Parliament security breach. In a letter to MPs, Birla deems linking the incidents as unwarranted, emphasizing the suspension's purpose to uphold the House's sanctity. He assures a high-level inquiry into the breach and a comprehensive security review. The security breach on December 13 involved two men throwing smoke canisters in the Lok Sabha, triggering panic on the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attacks. Six accused have been arrested, with a mastermind seeking to create anarchy.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi links the recent Parliament security breach to unemployment and inflation caused by Prime Minister Modi's policies. Gandhi states that citizens' unemployment is the root cause, emphasizing the current challenges faced by the Indian population. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge criticizes Union Home Minister Amit Shah for not addressing the matter in the House. The BJP-led Centre and Opposition clash over the breach, with accusations directed at the BJP for issuing visitors' passes to the accused. The incident involved intruders leaping into the Lok Sabha chamber, unleashing chaos during the Parliament Winter Session.