JD(U) rejects UCC in Bihar, differs with Amit Shah’s declaration

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA’s push for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) before the 2029 Lok Sabha election has exposed a fresh fault line within the ruling alliance, with Bihar’s JD(U) drawing a clear line against implementing the proposed law in the state.

JD(U) leader and former Bihar minister Shyam Rajak said the party supports the UCC Bill at the national level but does not favour its implementation in Bihar. He said Nitish Kumar had made the party’s position clear when the legislation was introduced in Parliament, maintaining that national support for the measure did not translate into support for enforcing it in Bihar.

The statement comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the UCC would be implemented in all 21 states governed by the NDA before the 2029 Lok Sabha election, putting the contentious issue firmly back at the centre of the alliance’s political agenda.

JD(U) national working president Sanjay Jha said the party would discuss its position with the BJP’s central leadership and take up the issue with Shah. The move signals that the disagreement could require negotiations within the NDA before any uniform policy is pursued across its states.

Another Bihar NDA ally, the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), has adopted a more cautious approach, saying it will examine the legal implications and possible consequences after receiving the draft or framework of the proposed UCC.

Meanwhile, TDP, Shiv Sena and Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) have backed Shah’s announcement, though TDP has stressed the need for consultations with different sections before implementation.

The contrasting positions have exposed the political complexity facing the NDA, with allies that support the UCC nationally differing sharply over how and where it should be implemented.