New Delhi: The much-anticipated debate on the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday took a brief detour into light-hearted banter as Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah engaged in a witty exchange over the delayed selection of the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president.
Speaking during the debate, Akhilesh Yadav veered off-topic to take a dig at the ruling party. “A party which claims to be the biggest political party in the world has still not been able to elect its own national president,” Yadav remarked, drawing laughter from both opposition and treasury benches. Even Home Minister Amit Shah was seen chuckling at the comment.
However, Shah was quick to deliver a sharp response. “Akhilesh ji made his remark with a smile, so I will respond in the same manner. The parties sitting across from us in this House all have national presidents who are selected from just five family members. But in our party, we have to conduct a process involving 12-13 crore members, so naturally, it takes time,” Shah said, prompting further amusement in the House.
Reports suggest that the BJP is likely to announce its new national president by the third week of April, with the process having been pending for nearly ten months.
