Rift in JDU Over Waqf Bill Support: Fifth Senior Leader Quits Ahead of Bihar Polls

Patna: The Janata Dal (United) is facing growing unrest within its ranks after backing the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, with five senior minority leaders quitting the party in protest. The resignations signal a deepening rift within the Nitish Kumar-led party and could pose a serious challenge ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections later this year.

The latest to exit the party is Tabrez Hasan, vice president of the JDU youth wing, who sent his resignation to Bihar Chief Minister and party chief Nitish Kumar on Friday.

What Hasan Wrote in His Resignation Letter to  Nitish Kumar? 

Citing "broken trust" and the party’s drift away from secular values, Hasan said in his letter that JDU’s support for the Bill had alienated Muslims who once viewed the party as a bulwark of inclusive politics.

"You have chosen to stand with forces that have repeatedly worked against Muslims," Hasan wrote, referencing the BJP-led NDA's earlier moves such as the abrogation of Article 370, the triple talaq law, and the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Hasan claimed he had submitted memorandums in both Urdu and Hindi, appealing to the party leadership to oppose the Bill, but his concerns were ignored.

"This is not the end of my responsibility, but a new beginning," he stated in his resignation letter to Nitish.

Earlier resignations came from JDU Minority Cell State Secretary Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik, State General Secretary Mohammad Tabrez Siddiqui from Aligarh, Bhojpur-based leader Mohammad Dilshan Rain, and former party candidate Mohammad Qasim Ansari. All expressed frustration over the party’s silence on the Bill’s implications for the Muslim community.

Waqf Amendment Bill Passed in Parliament

For the unversed, the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 — passed in a post-midnight session after a fiery debate in the Rajya Sabha — secured 128 votes in favour and 95 against. The Lok Sabha had earlier cleared the Bill with 288 MPs supporting it and 232 opposing. Though the legislative hurdle has been crossed, the political fallout appears far from over.