April 4, 2025: The Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)), led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, is grappling with a significant internal rift following the resignation of five prominent leaders over the party’s backing of the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025. The bill, passed by both houses of Parliament this week, has sparked widespread dissent within the party, particularly among its Muslim leaders, who accuse JD(U) of abandoning its secular principles.
The latest wave of resignations began on Thursday, April 3, with senior leader Mohammed Qasim Ansari and Mohammad Shahnawaz Malik stepping down, citing the party’s support for the bill as a betrayal of the Muslim community’s trust. Ansari, in a strongly worded letter to Nitish Kumar, expressed his disillusionment, stating, “Millions of Indian Muslims and dedicated party workers like me are deeply hurt by JD(U)’s stance on the Waqf Amendment Bill. I regret giving years of my life to this party.” Malik echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the party’s leadership for endorsing what he called a “black law” that oppresses Muslims.
The exodus continued into Friday, with three more leaders—Nadeem Akhtar, Raju Nayyar, and Tabrez Siddiqui Alig—tendering their resignations. Nayyar, a former state secretary, wrote, “I resign from JD(U) after the Waqf Amendment Bill was passed and supported in the Lok Sabha,” highlighting his disappointment with the party’s direction. Siddiqui, the General Secretary of JD(U)’s Minority Wing, accused the party of shattering its secular credentials, while Akhtar’s exit marked him as the fifth leader to leave in protest.
The Waqf Amendment Bill, passed with a vote of 288-232 in the Lok Sabha and 128-95 in the Rajya Sabha, aims to reform the management of Waqf properties, with the government claiming it will enhance transparency and benefit marginalized Muslim communities. However, opposition parties and several JD(U) leaders argue that it infringes on minority rights and paves the way for government overreach into religious affairs. The bill’s passage relied heavily on support from NDA allies, including JD(U) and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), amplifying tensions within these parties.
The resignations come at a critical juncture for JD(U) as Bihar gears up for assembly elections later this year. Political analysts suggest that the party’s support for the bill could alienate its Muslim voter base, a key demographic in the state. The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a major opposition party, seized the opportunity to attack Nitish Kumar, labeling him “Cheatish Kumar” and depicting him in RSS attire on social media, accusing him of aligning with the BJP’s ideological agenda.
JD(U) leadership has attempted to downplay the crisis. National spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad dismissed the resignations, claiming that some of the departing leaders, including Ansari and Malik, were not official party members. “Their grievances will be addressed where genuine, but those claiming resignation were never part of our rank and file,” he said. However, the party acknowledged concerns raised by some members, such as national general secretary Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi, promising internal discussions.
The fallout has raised questions about JD(U)’s cohesion and its ability to maintain its secular image ahead of the polls. With more resignations rumored to be in the pipeline, the Waqf Amendment Bill controversy threatens to reshape Bihar’s political landscape, testing Nitish Kumar’s leadership and the party’s alliance with the BJP-led NDA.