JD(U) Faces turmoil as 5 leaders quit over Waqf Bill support
The Waqf (Amendment) Bill has sparked a crisis in Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United). By Friday, five senior leaders resigned from the party. They protested JD(U)’s support for the bill in Parliament.
Nadeem Akhtar became the latest to leave. Before him, Raju Nayyar, Tabrez Siddiqui Alig, Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, and Mohammed Kasim Ansari stepped down. The wave of exits has jolted JD(U) ahead of the Bihar assembly elections.
The resignations came shortly after both Houses passed the Waqf Amendment Bill 2025. The Lok Sabha cleared it on Thursday. The Rajya Sabha followed on Friday after a 12-hour debate.
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar confirmed the numbers. He said 128 members supported the bill and 95 opposed it. He added that the final tally may change after corrections.
Meanwhile, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had urged secular parties to oppose the bill. It called the bill a direct threat to Muslim rights and religious freedom.
Despite the appeal, JD(U) supported the bill. That decision triggered strong backlash from within.
Raju Nayyar minced no words in his resignation letter. He called the bill a “black law” and accused the party of betraying its values. “I resign from JD(U) after the Waqf Amendment Bill is passed and supported in the Lok Sabha,” he wrote. He also asked to be relieved from all party roles.
Tabrez Hasan echoed the same sentiment. He addressed his letter to JD(U) president Nitish Kumar. He expressed deep disappointment in the party’s shift. “I had hoped you would uphold your secular image,” he wrote. “Instead, you sided with those who have consistently acted against the interests of Muslims.”
Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik and Mohammed Kasim Ansari also cited similar reasons. They claimed the party had lost its moral ground and no longer stood with the marginalized.
The resignations reflect growing unrest within JD(U). The party now struggles to hold on to its minority support base. Nitish Kumar’s silence on the issue has only fueled further discontent.
Political analysts see the resignations as a warning sign. JD(U), already facing electoral pressure, may suffer further damage if the rift widens. The party has built much of its image on secularism and inclusiveness. The current fallout threatens to undo that legacy.
Meanwhile, the BJP-led government continues to defend the Waqf Bill. It argues that the changes will ensure transparency and fairness in Waqf property management. The opposition, however, calls the bill unconstitutional. They accuse the Centre of targeting minority rights.
With the Bihar elections approaching, the JD(U) must now contain the damage. It faces rising dissent and voter mistrust. The leaders who quit have vowed to continue their fight against the bill outside the party.
As JD(U) scrambles for control, Nitish Kumar must make a choice. Will he stick with his allies in Delhi or rebuild trust with the minority community back home?
