Unfortunately, there is big chaos, trouble and boil in Janata Dal(United)-JD(U) post passage Waqf (Amendment) Bill over the support of Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) to the said bill as some Muslim MLA’s of his party are of the opinion that Waqf Bill is an assault on the rights of Muslim community and the bill is unconstitutional and against the interests of Muslims. Besides they regards the Waqf (Amendment) Bill as violation of the religious and cultural freedom enshrined in the constitution. Thus there is chaos, trouble, confusion and boil in the JD[U] as some politicians and leaders are severing relations with JD(U). The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill has triggered a political storm within the Janata Dal (United), as internal dissent and criticism from allies and opposition leaders intensify. Once seen as a calculated legislative move, the party’s support for the bill is now creating severe ripples, especially among its minority support base in Bihar.
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha in August 2024, seeks to bring greater transparency and accountability to the administration of Waqf properties across India. One of its key provisions allows for the inclusion of non-Muslim members on Waqf Boards and expands the government’s supervisory powers. While the ruling BJP pushed the bill as a measure for reform, transparency, and improved governance, several minority organizations and opposition leaders raised red flags, branding it anti-Muslim and an intrusion into religious affairs. Surprisingly, JD(U), a long-time BJP ally but also a party with a significant Muslim voter base in Bihar, chose to back the bill during its introduction. JD(U) leader and Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh 'Lalan' defended the move, stating that the bill was not communal but meant to curb mismanagement and bring clarity to Waqf affairs. “This bill is about transparency, not targeting any community,” he argued in Parliament. However, this explanation has done little to quell the firestorm within the party.
As criticism grew outside Parliament, internal voices of discomfort began to emerge. Several Muslim leaders within JD(U) reportedly expressed unease over the party’s stance, fearing a backlash from the community ahead of the crucial 2025 Bihar Assembly elections. Adding fuel to the fire, political strategist-turned-leader Prashant Kishor launched a scathing attack on JD(U). He called out Muslim leaders within the party, urging them to resign if the party continued to support the bill. "If JD(U) allows this bill to pass, it will be more responsible than even the BJP," Kishor said, directly targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s leadership. The timing couldn’t be worse for JD(U). Bihar’s political landscape is fragile, with the 2025 elections looming.
The state’s 17.7% Muslim population has historically played a decisive role in swinging the outcome in key constituencies. With communal sensitivities heightened, JD(U)’s support for a bill perceived as anti-Muslim may alienate its core support group. Party insiders admit there was no consensus within JD(U) over backing the bill. Some leaders claim the party leadership made a “strategic miscalculation” by aligning too closely with the BJP’s legislative agenda. Others view it as an attempt by Nitish Kumar to maintain his political balancing act—supporting the Centre while preserving a secular image at home. That balancing act now seems to be faltering. Facing mounting pressure, JD(U) has reportedly begun internal consultations to reassess its stance. Some leaders are now advocating for a formal clarification or even an amendment to the party’s position to avoid long-term political damage. However, walking back publicly from its initial support may be difficult without straining its already complex relationship with the BJP. For the BJP, JD(U)’s discomfort might just be collateral damage. But for JD(U), it’s a political crisis that threatens its unity and electoral future. Whether the party can contain the internal fire and rebuild trust with its Muslim voters remains to be seen. One thing is clear—the Waqf Bill has done more than amend a law. It has exposed cracks in political alliances, stirred up identity politics, and sparked a firestorm that JD(U) may find difficult to douse.
In fact Nitish Kumar’s JDU faces internal rift over its stand on Waqf Bill as five leaders resigned from the party in protest. The latest to resign from JD(U)was Nadeem AKhtar, making him the fifth leader to quit the party over its support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. Therefore it can be said that the grief and boil in the JD(U) over its support to the Waqf Bill in parliament has resulted in differences and rift in the party and it will have bad repercussions on the political fortunes of the JDU in Bihar assembly elections. Muslims of Bihar are more or less annoyed and saddened with the stand of JD(U) on Waqf Bill in both houses of parliament and they are dismayed by the stand of their party and thus have many of them resigned from JDU as protest. The issue around the Waqf Bill is expected to continue in Bihar until the state assembly elections which are scheduled for later this year. Recently, the AIMPLB held a protest in Patna asking Nitish Kumar and NDA partners like Chirag Paswan to stop the bill.
Since rift and disagreement in the JDU triggered resignations of some leaders from Muslim community over the support of JDU to the Waqf Bill in parliament. Since Bihar assembly elections are going to be held in late this year and the rift, boil and chaos in the party will echo in the state elections. Now it will be the litmus test for CM Nitish Kumar to keep his flock together and face the elections. But it will be a challenging job for Nitish Kumar and his JD(U) and everything will be clear in the coming months. The support of JD(U) to Waqf Bill may cost dearly to Nitish and his party.
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