Four JDU members quit party, cite disagreement over Waqf (Amendment) Bill

Four Janata Dal (United) (JDU) members including two state office-bearers resigned from the party citing disagreement with the party’s stance on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Parliament approved the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, with the Rajya Sabha giving its approval in the early hours of Friday.

JD (U), a key National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally, backed the bill. The development comes at a time when the state is looking forward to the assembly polls later this year.

Mohammed Shahnawaz Malik, JD (U) minority cell state secretary-cum-district president Jamui, state general secretary Mohammed Tabrez Siddiqui Alig, party leaders Mohammed Kasim Ansari and youth leader Raju Nayyar had resigned from the party.

In his letter addressed to chief minister Nitish Kumar, Malik said, “Millions of Indian Muslims like us had unwavering faith that you are the flag bearer of a purely secular ideology. But now, this belief has been shattered. Millions of dedicated Indian Muslims and activists like us are deeply shocked by JD-U’s stand regarding the Waqf Bill Amendment Act 2024.”

Tabrez Siddiqui, in his letter, echoed similar sentiments and said that the party had “betrayed the trust of the Muslim community.”

“I resign from JD(U) after Waqf Amendment Bill is passed and supported in the Lok Sabha.” He went on to express his deep disappointment with the party, stating, “I am deeply hurt by the JD(U) voting in favour of this black law, which oppresses Muslims”, Nayyar wrote in his resignation letter.

On Thursday night, Ansari, district spokesperson of JD (U) medical cell, East Champaran had submitted his resignation from the party’s primary membership and all its posts.

“I am disheartened that I gave several years of my life to the party,” his letter reads.

Dismissing the allegations from the members who resigned, JD(U) national spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad claimed that none of the leaders were part of the party’s official structure.

“Those who have resigned were not on any constitutional post of the party. The party is totally united, and the NDA is intact,” said Prasad.

Also Read: Parliament passes Waqf Amendment Bill 2025

He, however, acknowledged that some JD(U) members including national general secretary Ghulam Rasool Baliyawi, had expressed concerns over the bill.

“But those who are coming up with the claim of resignation from the party were never members in the first place,” he added.

“The leader (Mohammed Kasim Ansari) who has resigned from the party (JD-U) contested the 2020 election from Dhaka (Bihar) on the symbol of Kite (AIMIM) and got 499 votes,” said Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh.

A JD (U) office-bearer, on the condition of anonymity, said those who have left the party were waiting for some posts in corporation and quit the party after failing to get one.