BJP allies face revolt over support to Waqf Bill; JDU, RLD bear the burnt

Two key allies of the BJP — Janata Dal (United) [JDU] and Rashtriya Lok Dal [RLD] — are facing internal backlash over their support for the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025. Both parties, which have traditionally drawn significant support from Muslim voters, are witnessing resignations and mounting dissent within their ranks.

In Bihar, the Nitish Kumar-led JDU, which once enjoyed a strong support base among Pasmanda (economically and socially backward) Muslims, has been rocked by a string of resignations.

The latest to quit is Tabrez Hasan, vice-president of the party’s youth wing. Before him, several minority leaders had already stepped down, including JDU minority cell state secretary Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, state general-secretary Mohammad Tabrez Siddiqui (Aligarh), Bhojpur-based member Mohammad Dilshan Rain, and former candidate Mohammad Qasim Ansari.

In his resignation letter to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, Hasan wrote that the party’s support for the Bill had “shattered the trust of Muslims”, who believed the JDU upheld secular values.

“I had hoped you would maintain your secular image, but you chose to stand with forces that have repeatedly worked against Muslims,” Hasan stated.

He further linked the Waqf Bill to previous controversial measures such as the abrogation of Article 370, the criminalisation of triple talaq, and the Citizenship Amendment Act — all of which, he said, have hurt the Muslim community.

The JDU’s declining support among Muslims was evident in the 2020 Bihar assembly elections, when the party failed to get even a single Muslim MLA elected — a first in its history — despite fielding 11 Muslim candidates. Political analysts say this erosion of trust began when the JDU allied with the BJP.

In stark contrast, during the 2015 elections as part of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) with the RJD and Congress, the party had five Muslim MLAs and secured nearly 80 per cent of the Muslim vote. It is worth recalling here that Nitish's party had once sent journalist Ali Anwar, who belongs to the Pasmanda community, to the Rajya Sabha twice. He has recently joined the Congress.

The discontent isn’t limited to Bihar. In western Uttar Pradesh, the RLD — another BJP ally with a significant Muslim support base — is also facing revolt.

On Friday, RLD's Uttar Pradesh general-secretary Shahzeb Rizvi resigned from both his post and the party, expressing strong opposition to the RLD’s support for the Waqf Bill in Parliament. Rizvi said he was "angry with [RLD] national president Jayant Chaudhary's decision" and predicted an exodus of party leaders in the coming days. “More than 2,000 workers will resign with me,” he claimed.

Criticising Chaudhary for ignoring the sentiments of Muslim voters, Rizvi said, “If RLD has 10 MLAs in western UP today, it’s largely due to Muslim support. Jayant Chaudhary has strayed from the path shown by Chaudhary Charan Singh”.

“Muslims gave Jayant Chaudhary their votes, but he betrayed them by backing this Bill. This goes against the rights and sentiments of the Muslim community,” he added.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed by Parliament early on Friday morning after a marathon 13-hour debate in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill secured 128 votes in favour and 95 against. In the Lok Sabha, the margin was narrower — 288 MPs supported the Bill, while 232 opposed it.

Though the legislative battle is over, the political fallout is just beginning. With state assembly elections approaching in Bihar, the Waqf Bill is expected to remain a hot-button issue, particularly among minority communities disillusioned with the NDA’s stance.