Pavan Korada 
Visakhapatnam: The passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in both the Houses of the parliament has highlighted sharp political divisions in Andhra Pradesh. The state’s ruling coalition partners – the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP), both key allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre – have provided crucial backing by issuing a whip supporting the legislation. Their stance stood in marked contrast to the state’s main opposition party, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which condemned the Bill saying it violated constitutional guarantees and minority rights but chose not to issue a whip to its members.
The legislation makes major changes to the Waqf Act, 1995, which governs Waqf property administration. Key controversial provisions include allowing non-Muslim members on State Waqf Boards and the Central Waqf Council, revising the ‘Waqf-by-user’ principle for determining Waqf status, adding new requirements for property donations (such as donors must be practising Islam for at least five years), and changing administrative control over Waqf assets. While the Union government suggested that the Bill is a reform measure to improve transparency and accountability, critics argue it could compromise the independence of Waqf institutions.
With 16 seats in the Lok Sabha, the TDP played a crucial role in the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA’s) legislative strategy. Under chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s leadership, the party issued a three-line whip, requiring its MPs to attend and vote in support of the Bill.
As a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) reviewing the Bill, TDP MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu proposed several amendments. These included protecting existing properties without formal deeds through prospective application of the ‘Waqf-by-user’ clause, proposing a senior designated officer above the district collector for Waqf property disputes, and providing flexibility in registration deadlines for Waqf properties on the central portal.
In the Lok Sabha debate, TDP MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti emphasised that these contributions are evidence of the party’s dedication to protecting Muslim interests, while highlighting the TDP’s history of minority welfare initiatives under N.T. Rama Rao and Naidu.
Also read: ‘Vote Bank Politics’ Versus ‘Disenfranchisement’ As Waqf Bill Passes Lok Sabha
The TDP also raised concerns about State Waqf Board composition. Tenneti called on the Centre to allow state governments flexibility in determining Waqf Board membership, comparing it to the state’s Hindu Religious Endowments Act. While party sources described this as a response to community feedback, the TDP maintained its broader support for the Bill, including provisions for women’s representation. TDP national spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain reaffirmed both the party’s backing of the legislation and Naidu’s commitment to Muslim interests.
The YSR Congress Party mounted an ambivalent opposition. In the Lok Sabha, YSRCP MP P.V. Mithun Reddy argued that the Bill violated Articles 13, 14, 25, and 26 of the constitution. He emphasised that the JPC had failed to adequately address objections from major Muslim organisations, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.
Reddy particularly criticised provisions allowing non-Muslim members on Waqf Boards, arguing this would undermine institutional autonomy. He also criticised the proposed reduction in annual financial contributions from Waqf institutions to the Board, warning this could “financially cripple” the organisation.
YSRCP leader and former deputy chief minister Amzath Basha described the Bill as unconstitutional and accused the TDP and JSP of betraying minorities by supporting an “anti-Muslim” NDA agenda. Similarly, YSRCP MLA Hafeez Khan suggested that the Bill was designed to facilitate Waqf land takeovers and weaken the Muslim community.
The YSRCP’s position, however, drew criticism. TDP leaders highlighted the YSRCP’s previous support for controversial legislation like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the Triple Talaq Bill – though the TDP had also backed these measures. The TDP made specific allegations about the Sakshi Media Group (owned by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy) headquarters in Hyderabad, claiming it was on Waqf property and suggesting this influenced the YSRCP’s stance. Reports from the Rajya Sabha debate noted that while the YSRCP maintained public opposition, it initially joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in not issuing a whip, allowing members a conscience vote.
The JSP, led by deputy chief minister K. Pawan Kalyan, aligned with its NDA partners in supporting the Bill. Kalyan instructed the party’s MPs to vote in favour, claiming that modernising the Waqf Act would be beneficial. This position aligns with Kalyan’s recent emphasis on Hindu religious and cultural issues, including his calls for a ‘Sanatana Dharma Raksha Board’.
In a sharp contrast, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) from neighbouring Telangana stood firmly against the Bill. BRS MLC K. Kavitha announced the party would oppose the legislation in parliament, citing concerns about government control of Waqf properties. BRS MP K.R. Suresh Reddy characterised the Bill as promoting polarisation and undermining the secular fabric.
Nationally, the Bill faced strong opposition from Muslim organisations. The AIMPLB called for peaceful protests, encouraging Muslims to wear black armbands during Friday prayers – a call that drew participants across several cities, including Hyderabad. The AIMPLB statement characterised the Bill as a “sinister conspiracy aimed at depriving Muslims of their mosques, eidgahs, madrasas, dargahs…”
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi emerged as a leading critic. During the protests, he denounced the Bill as a “black law” that threatened Muslim religious rights. He consistently challenged the inclusion of non-Muslims in Waqf bodies, contrasting it with the exclusively Hindu composition of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Board.
The debate intensified in Andhra Pradesh due to parallel developments at the TTD. The TTD Board, following chief minister Naidu’s comments, passed a resolution prohibiting non-Hindu employees and initiated proceedings against 18 staff members who followed non-Hindu practices, recommending their transfer or voluntary retirement.
Also read: Parliament Passes Waqf Bill in Consecutive Overnight Sessions, ‘Means to Grab Land’, Says Opposition
Owaisi criticised this decision, highlighting the TDP’s contradictory positions on religious exclusivity at TTD versus inclusivity for Waqf Boards. TTD chairman B.R. Naidu defended the decision by distinguishing between Tirumala’s sacred nature and what he described as the Waqf Boards’ administrative role. The recent Tirupati stampede incident further strained relations between JSP’s Kalyan and the TTD chairman, underscoring the sensitive nature of TTD administration.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Y.S. Sharmila Reddy also labeled chief minister Naidu a “traitor” to Muslims for supporting the Bill. She described his politics as “chameleon-like” and claimed the amendments would facilitate Waqf property seizures and diminish Muslim representation.
“It is disheartening to witness the political games being played with our community’s future,” remarked Mohammad Peer Basha, associated with the Tara Masjid in Visakhapatnam, expressing disillusionment with the stances of major political parties on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.
“Whether it is the TDP, the YSRCP, or the Jana Sena, we see a troubling pattern of duplicity and hypocrisy. One party supports this damaging Waqf Bill in Delhi while shedding crocodile tears for minorities in Amaravati. Another opposes it now, conveniently forgetting their past support for other legislations [CAA and Triple Talaq] that instilled fear in our hearts. The third simply follows the prevailing political winds dictated by their alliances. Their actions consistently undermine the autonomy of our religious institutions and the security of Waqf properties, regardless of the public pronouncements they make during elections or Iftar parties,” he told The Wire.