New Delhi, April 4 – The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, during the Budget Session of Parliament has underscored the return of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) political dominance, as key allies in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) aligned with the government after months of asserting their independence.
The bill was cleared in the Lok Sabha with 288 votes in favor and 232 against, and later passed in the Rajya Sabha by a margin of 128-95. Crucially, allies such as the Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)], Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), which had previously forced the government to reconsider contentious legislation, fully backed the BJP this time.
The shifting stance marks a contrast from August 2024, when the NDA government, despite its majority, was forced to send the Waqf Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after pushback from allies concerned about their minority support bases. That period also saw resistance from within the coalition over proposals like lateral entry into the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Broadcasting Services (Regulation) Bill, both of which the government had to put on hold.
But the recent Budget Session suggests a shift in power dynamics. The BJP’s resounding victories in state elections, particularly in Maharashtra, Haryana, and Delhi, have strengthened its grip, leaving its allies with fewer options.
Regional political realities have also played a role in aligning NDA partners closer to the BJP’s agenda. In Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister and TDP leader N. Chandrababu Naidu has sought central funds and support, while in Bihar, the declining health of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has pushed the JD(U) further into the BJP’s fold.
Ahead of the upcoming Bihar elections, the NDA—including the BJP, JD(U), LJP, and Hindustan Awam Morcha (HAM)—appears set to campaign on a platform of polarization, a strategy that has long benefited the BJP, even if it poses risks for regional allies.
The second phase of the Budget Session signaled a clear resurgence of the BJP’s political hegemony, resembling its pre-2024 dominance. While parliamentary debates remained combative, the ruling party has shown its ability to push through key legislation with renewed confidence—an indication that the era of NDA allies frequently challenging the BJP may be coming to an end.
