On Shah's UCC claim, 3 BJP allies sound caution - timesofindia.indiatimes.com

**On Shah’s UCC claim, three BJP allies sound caution**

New Delhi – Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent assertion that the government could move forward with a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) after the 2024 general elections has prompted a measured response from three key members of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Janata Dal (United) chief Nitish Kumar, who heads the coalition in Bihar, warned that any push for a UCC “must be preceded by a broad-based consensus” and that premature implementation could exacerbate communal tensions in the state. In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (Balasaheb) chief Eknath Shinde echoed the sentiment, saying his party would support reforms that promote social harmony but would not endorse a top‑down imposition without thorough deliberation. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), also a regional partner in the NDA government in Maharashtra, reiterated that the code should be introduced only after the recommendations of the state’s law commission panel are fully examined.

The cautious stance of the allies underscores an emerging rift within the NDA over the timing and political calculus of the UCC. The Hindu reported that JD(U) leaders have been privately urging the BJP to prioritize development agendas in Bihar rather than a contentious social reform. Meanwhile, Maharashtra’s Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, speaking after the panel’s interim report, affirmed that the state will consider the UCC only after the commission’s final recommendations are submitted, signalling a slower rollout than the central leadership’s timetable. Opposition parties have seized on the discord: the Nationalist Congress (NC) reiterated its long‑standing opposition to the UCC, and senior AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi accused the BJP of using the code as a “targeted strategy against Muslims,” a charge echoed by ThePrint.

Analysts say the divergent positions could test the durability of the NDA’s coalition architecture ahead of the upcoming polls. While the BJP continues to champion the UCC as a hallmark of its “integrated” vision for India, its regional partners are urging a more incremental approach that respects state‑level sensitivities and demographic realities. The coming weeks will likely see further negotiations within the alliance, as both the central and state governments balance the political capital of a uniform civil law against the risk of alienating sizable voter blocs.

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