Fadnavis puts up 'let's see tomorrow' challenge for Uddhav over Waqf Amendment Bill: 'Balasaheb or Rahul Gandhi?'

NEW DELHI: Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis issued a challenge to Shiv Sena (UBT) supremo Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday, the eve of introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the Lok Sabha.Also Read: 'Chandrababu Naidu is in favour of Muslims': TDP announces support for Waqf Amendment Bill; JD(U) against retrospective implementation"Waqf Amendment Bill in Parliament tomorrow! Let's see if Uddhav will uphold the ideas of Balasaheb Thackeray Sena, the Emperor of Hindu Hearts, and the venerable Shiv Sena chief Balasaheb Thackeray, or will he continue to follow in the footsteps of Rahul Gandhi and appease him?" Fadnavis posted in Marathi on his X handle.Shiv Sena (UBT) is a former ally of Fadnavis' Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In November 2019, the then-united Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP, its long-time ally, and formed Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with ideological rivals Congress and Nationalist Congress Party. Thackeray then became the leader of the MVA government in Maharashtra.However, in June 2022, Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena caused a vertical split in the party and triggered collapse of the Thackeray-led MVA regime. The faction led by Shinde, now Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, is recognised by the Election Commission as the "real" Shiv Sena, while the original group is called Shiv Sena (UBT).Waqf Amendment Bill in Lok SabhaThe Waqf (Amendment) Bill, to be moved by Centre's BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the Lok Sabha, is set to face stiff resistance from the Congress-led opposition INDIA bloc. Muslim organizations, too, have voiced their opposition to the bill.The Shiv Sena is a member of the NDA while Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the opposition alliance.The BJP has issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha MPs, asking them to be present in the House. The Congress, too, has issued a whip for its Lok Sabha members to attend the proceedings.