Union Home Minister Amit Shah has put the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) firmly back at the centre of the BJP’s political agenda, declaring that all 21 BJP-NDA ruled states will introduce the law before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
But even as Shah sets a clear deadline, some of the BJP’s key allies have called for more discussions, seeking consultations, a review of the draft and wider stakeholder views before taking a final position.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on Sunday while highlighting the achievements of the Narendra Modi government and the BJP’s 25-year journey under his leadership, Shah said the in several states and expressed confidence that the remaining NDA-ruled states would follow before 2029.
“Triple talaq has been abolished, giving Muslim women equal rights. We have introduced the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in several states and I am confident that in the 21 BJP-NDA ruled states, we will introduce the UCC before 2029,” Shah said.
The statement effectively puts a 2029 political deadline on one of the BJP’s long-standing ideological priorities. The next Lok Sabha elections are due in 2029.
But the response from NDA allies has exposed an important question: Can the BJP deliver a 21-state UCC rollout without first securing the support of its coalition partners?
Shah’s Big UCC Push: 21 States, Before 2029
Shah’s announcement comes as the BJP-led governments have increasingly pursued the UCC through individual states rather than waiting for a single nationwide law.
Uttarakhand became the first state to pass and fully implement a UCC. Gujarat and Assam have also moved ahead with UCC legislation, while Madhya Pradesh has approved the measure at the state level. The BJP’s broader approach has been to advance the issue state by state, taking into account the social and legal structures of individual states.
The UCC seeks to establish a common set of civil rules for citizens irrespective of religion, particularly in areas such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and related personal-law matters.
For the BJP, the issue has been part of its long-standing political agenda, alongside measures such as the abrogation of Article 370 and the Ram temple movement.
Shah linked the UCC to the government’s broader record of legal and security reforms, citing the abolition of triple talaq, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, surgical strikes, air strikes and Operation Sindoor.
His statement on the UCC, however, has triggered a fresh debate within the NDA itself.
NDA Allies Seek Discussion Before UCC Rollout
The most significant pushback has come from Bihar, where the BJP depends on allies including JD(U) and LJP (Ram Vilas).
Senior JD(U) leader Shyam Rajak on Monday said the party was opposed to implementing the UCC in Bihar, even though it had supported the UCC Bill in Parliament.
“Our stand on the issue was made clear by our leader way back. He had said that although our party was supporting the UCC Bill in the Parliament, it was not in favour of implementing the same in Bihar,” Rajak said.
“The chief minister may be of the BJP but the government is being run with the help of allies… our stand is clear, the question of implementing UCC in Bihar does not arise,” he added.
However, there is an important distinction here. Rajak’s comments do not necessarily represent the final official position of the JD(U). The party’s working president Sanjay Jha has said he will meet Shah to discuss the issue, while other JD(U) leaders have reiterated the party’s long-standing demand for wider consultation.
“On the UCC issue, our national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha will be holding talks with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This information has been shared by Jha himself,” he added.
The party’s official position therefore appears to be wait, discuss and assess the proposal, rather than an outright organisational rejection of UCC.
Chirag Paswan Wants The Draft First
LJP (Ram Vilas), another important NDA ally, has also stopped short of endorsing Shah’s 2029 timeline outright.
Party chief and Union Minister Chirag Paswan has called for the draft UCC to be made public and for extensive consultations before his party takes a final position.
“India’s social fabric is diverse. Every class has its own civic traditions and customs. The Constitution itself has acknowledged this – the Fifth-Sixth Schedule, Articles 371A and 371G, and the exemptions granted to Scheduled Tribes in every code so far are proof of this.”
Paswan has stressed that his party is committed to both equality and diversity, and wants the interests of all stakeholders examined before taking a stand.
“My party, Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), is committed to both equality and diversity. Let the draft be made public, let there be an assessment of the interests of all stakeholders, let there be extensive discussions – thereafter, after review, the party will state its position,” he said.
That is significant because LJP (Ram Vilas) is part of the NDA at both the Centre and in Bihar. Rather than rejecting UCC outright, Paswan has effectively sought the draft and a consultation process before committing his party.
The Telugu Desam Party, another crucial NDA partner, has adopted a similarly cautious approach. The TDP’s position is therefore not an outright rejection, but neither is it an immediate endorsement of Shah’s 21-state target. Both BJP allies have asked for time to study the proposal.
This leaves the BJP with an important political task: building consensus inside its own coalition before turning Shah’s 2029 declaration into legislation across all NDA-ruled states.