Following Home Minister Amit Shah’s announcement that the Uniform Civil Code will be implemented in all NDA-ruled states by 2029, key NDA partners TDP and Shiv Sena on Tuesday (September 15, 2026) supported the BJP on the issue.
Another BJP ally, the JD(U), gave a cautious response, saying it will study the Uniform Civil Code Bill and “will not oppose it without a reason.”
The support of the TDP with 16 Lok Sabha MPs, the Shiv Sena with 13 and the JD(U) with 12 is crucial for the Narendra Modi government. While the TDP is in power in Andhra Pradesh along with the Jana Sena and the BJP, the BJP shares power with the JD(U) in Bihar and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra.
Andhra Pradesh TDP President P Srinivasa Rao said in Amaravati that he is bound by the Union Home Minister’s announcement of the UCC as a partner of the NDA.
“Yes, I have seen the statement of our Union Home Minister regarding UCC and as partners of the NDA, it is our responsibility to follow his statement,” said Mr. Rao, who represents the Gajuwaka constituency.
While there are criticisms of the UCC, he noted that it “strengthens the unity of the country and does not show much gender bias.”
“And critics, of course, some say that it (the JCC) infringes on religious freedom. Our country is culturally diverse. But we always think that this JCC will strengthen and unite the country,” he said.
“So, we will follow the statement of our home minister by being partners with the NDA,” he added.
CPI(M) state secretary V Srinivas Rao, however, said the BJP is resorting to UCC politics to divert the country’s attention as it is “facing attacks from the new generation (Generation Z) due to unemployment” and other reasons, especially in the backdrop of the recent student protest movement at Jantar Mantar.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary also said the JD(U) will study the Uniform Civil Code Bill and “will not oppose it without reason” unless its provisions trigger exceptions.
The former JD(U) state president made the announcement while addressing a press conference at the party office. He was responding to questions about the political instability that followed Shah’s announcement that UCC would be introduced “in 22 NDA-ruled states by 2029.”
On Monday (September 14, 2026), senior JD(U) leader and Phulwari Sharifa MLA Shyam Rajak lashed out against the UCC, saying it was expressing a view in line with the stand taken earlier by party leader Nitish Kumar, who told the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, “We will support the bill in Parliament but oppose its implementation in Bihar.”
Mr. Chaudhary, however, said that “there is no reason to rush into this matter” and noted that “the current President of our country, Sanjay Kumar Jha, has stated that he will hold talks on this issue with none other than the Union Home Minister.”
“We do not know the details of the UCC law at this time. Let him be presented to us. If we find that there is nothing wrong with it, why should we oppose it without any reason? And if there are issues of concern, they will be conveyed to the Union Home Minister,” he said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde supported Shah on the UCC issue, saying Sena founder late Bal Thackeray represented a common law for all.
“Balasaheb Thackeray’s vision of the Hindu Hriday Samrat was ‘one country, one law’ with equal justice for all. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also expressed the same position on UCC,” Mr. Shinde said.
He added that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra remains positive about the Uniform Civil Code and will take a final decision at an appropriate time.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday (September 14, 2026) said that the state government will begin implementing the UCC as soon as the committee preparing the bill submits its report.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the BJP should introduce the UCC Bill in Parliament if it has enough votes to pass it, instead of pushing it through individual states, and said the BJP’s allies also have reservations.
“If you have numbers, present them to parliament. Why are you doing this across different states? At least under their own NDA, not everyone agrees. From the news, the Janata Dal (United) have raised their hands and said this will not be implemented in Bihar,” Mr. Abdullah told reporters.
The National Conference leader said the BJP should not push through the UCC “through the back door”. “Because their own allies don’t support it, I don’t think they can get it through parliament. Perhaps that is why they choose this path,” he added.
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi said in Bhopal that if constituent NDA parties like JD(U) and TDP have the “slightest disagreement” with the BJP’s ideology, they should oppose the Uniform Civil Code.
The UCC was being introduced in various states to “target” India’s 18 million Muslims and the real aim of the BJP and RSS was to “dismantle” the protection guaranteed (to religious minorities) by Articles 25, 26 and 29 of the Constitution, he alleged.
Owaisi said it would have been a different matter if the NDA allies had fully aligned themselves with the BJP’s ideology. “But if they still have the slightest difference with the BJP, they should oppose it (UCC),” he said.
Published – Sep 16, 2026 04:10 EST.