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The meeting of the opposition INDIA bloc scheduled for December 6 has been put off for later this month, after three key leaders conveyed their inability to attend.

While Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is unwell, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee said she was busy with a family wedding, and TN CM MK Stalin conveyed his pre-occupation with floods in the state, sources quoted them as having told Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge. However, with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav issuing caustic statements and being unable to come for the meeting, the postponement is seen as forced by allies' bid to get back at Congress for its "unilateralism", after its rout in the polls. Sources close to two members of the bloc confirmed to TOI they would have asked Congress about Kamal Nath's dismissive reference to Akhilesh Yadav.

Telangana Congress president Revanth Reddy will take oath as the next chief minister on Thursday, even as the party decides on the shape of his ministry. The party is mulling a deputy chief minister from the Dalit community.

Revanth will be the second CM of Telangana after BRS chief K C Rao, who served in the top post for two terms since the creation of the new state in 2014 till 2023. After expressing gratitude to the leadership for his selection, the CM-designate left Hyderabad for Delhi in a special aircraft late Tuesday evening. AICC general secretary KC Venugopal announced Reddy's elevation following discussions held by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge with Rahul Gandhi, AICC state in-charge Manikrao Thakre and Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar, who was the special observer to the legislature party meet held in Hyderabad on Monday.

Confirming that the alleged plot to assassinate Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun was discussed in meetings between its visiting Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Jonathan Finer and top Indian officials, the White House said he “acknowledged India's establishment of a committee of enquiry”.

In the first meeting between Indian and US officials after US federal prosecutors alleged that an Indian official was involved in a foiled plot to assassinate Pannun on American soil, Finer met NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday.

Cyclone Michaung live updates: Most of Chennai remains submerged due to heavy rain under the impact of 'Michaung', which has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm. The storm, currently over Bay of Bengal, is likely to head towards the Andhra Pradesh coast. Heavy inundation has been reported from low-lying areas in Chennai while three people have died and the airport has been closed till Tuesday morning. The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Nellore and Machilipatnam around midnight.

India’s government has agreed to withdraw its soldiers from the Maldives, the Indian Ocean archipelago’s President Mohamed Muizzu said on Sunday, following engagements on the sidelines of the COP28 with top Indian officials.

“In the discussions we had, the Indian government has agreed to remove Indian soldiers,” Muizzu told reporters and a statement was issued for the same. “We also agreed to set up a high-level committee to solve issues related to development projects.”