In Waqf Bill Row, Nitish Kumar's JDU Is 3rd BJP Ally To Raise Red Flags
NDTV
Nitish Kumar's JDU and Chandrababu Naidu's TDP - whose combined 28 Lok Sabha MPs are key to the BJP retaining power at the centre - have both demanded the Waqf Amendment Bill also safeguards the interests of the Muslim community.
Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) has become the third ally of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party - and arguably one of the more important - to raise concerns over the government's Waqf Amendment Bill.
Chirag Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) has already asked questions of the bill, as has Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party.
The Bihar Chief Minister's party is believed to want changes in the proposed law to safeguard the interests of the Muslims, who account for 18 per cent of the population of a state that will hold an Assembly election next year. The JDU's red-flagging is significant given its initial support; party MP Rajiv Ranjan spoke in favour of the legislation during a debate in the Lok Sabha earlier this month.
