Patna: With the Bihar Assembly elections drawing closer, NDA allies in the state—especially those with a traditional Muslim voter base—are grappling with growing dissent within their ranks over their support for the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The political storm has intensified following the resignation of five Muslim leaders from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) in just three days, giving the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) fresh ammunition to target the ruling alliance.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav seized the moment, sharing a photo of Nitish Kumar in RSS uniform on social media platform X and captioning it “Cheatish Kumar”. He further vowed that if the RJD comes to power, it will “discard the new law”.
The JDU, attempting damage control, has dismissed the resignations as inconsequential. “The leaders who left hold no major influence,” the party claimed in a press statement. However, the signs of unrest are apparent, with even senior Muslim leaders like former Rajya Sabha MP Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi and MLC Ghulam Gous expressing unease.
JDU’s minority cell held a press conference to defend the legislation, while national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad told The Indian Express that the law had been “misunderstood” and described it as “progressive”. “We’re engaging with our leaders to clarify doubts,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan also finds himself in a tight spot. Though his party remains aligned with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), some Muslim leaders within the LJP have expressed discontent.
Chirag’s uncle and rival, Pashupati Kumar Paras—who heads the Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party—condemned the Waqf Act and suggested it had hurt the sentiments of a particular community. His remarks are being viewed as a subtle overture toward the RJD, especially with both LJP factions sharing similar voter bases.
Addressing the controversy, Chirag Paswan said he respects the sentiments of the Muslim community and acknowledged their concerns. Recalling his late father Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy, he said, “You didn’t remember how my father almost finished his party in 2005 by insisting that Bihar should have a Muslim Chief Minister. The truth is that my leader always fought for social justice with full dedication. I have the same blood in my veins and have been brought up with the same values.”
He further said his party had scrutinised every clause of the Bill and insisted on it being sent to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. “We believe the law will ultimately benefit poor Muslims,” he asserted.
