Despite earlier opposition to the Waqf law and JDU’s support for BJP-backed policies, 200 Muslim RJD workers joined JDU in Motihari, calling RJD a party of fear and loot
NEW DELHI /MOTIHARI – In Motihari, East Champaran, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Lalu Prasad Yadav faced a major setback as over 200 of its Muslim workers switched allegiance to the Janata Dal United (JDU) ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The move is seen as unexpected, especially given the strong discontent among Muslims in recent years over issues such as the triple talaq ban, the abrogation of Article 370, the CAA-NRC controversy, and more recently, the Waqf Act — all of which had received open backing from Nitish Kumar’s JDU.
Just a few months ago, several Muslim leaders had taken a defiant stand against the Janata Dal United (JDU) after it supported the Waqf Act in Parliament. Accusing the party of betraying the Muslim community, many had distanced themselves from Nitish Kumar’s leadership and vowed never to trust the JDU again. However, the recent political shift in Motihari tells a different story and needs introspection on the part of RJD.
The surprisind development came during a public event held in the Banjaria block of East Champaran, just days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the historic Gandhi Maidan in Motihari. In the presence of senior JDU Muslim leader and MLC Khalid Anwar and district president Manju Devi, nearly 200 Muslim workers formerly associated with the RJD officially joined the JDU.
Welcoming the new members, Khalid Anwar launched a scathing attack on the RJD and its leadership.
“RJD has always ruled Muslims through fear and manipulation. They never served the community — they exploited it,” Anwar said. “The revolt against the RJD that has begun in Champaran will spread throughout Bihar. Muslims are waking up to see who truly stands with them.”
HHe further alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav’s party is grappling with internal unrest and predicted a wave of defections in the coming months.
“After the monsoon session, there will be more resignations from the RJD. Several prominent faces — including MLAs and MLCs — will switch to the NDA,” claimed Khalid Anwar. “There will be chaos within the Lalu family and the party. The RJD is standing at the brink.”
The development has sent ripples through the RJD’s support base, especially as Muslims have long been considered a core and loyal constituency of the party. The defection of 200 Muslim workers to the JDU — despite widespread resentment over the Waqf Act and the party’s alliance with the BJP — is being seen as a significant political blow to Lalu Yadav’s outfit.
Mohammad Naseem, one of the new entrants into the JDU, voiced his disillusionment: “We kept voting for RJD thinking they stood with Muslims. But what did we get? Fear, neglect, and deception. At least the JDU engages with us.”
Another former RJD worker, Imran Qureshi, echoed the sentiment: “Yes, we were angry at the JDU for supporting the Waqf law. But we are angrier at the RJD — they have always used Muslims as vote banks. They’ve never cared about our education, employment, or safety.”
Secular parties, including the JDU, were slammed by various Muslim organisations for allegedly supporting or enabling policies perceived as anti-Muslim. JDU leaders, including Khalid Anwar, also faced backlash from the community for not opposing the Waqf law. Protests were held in parts of Bihar, and influential community voices had called for a boycott of the JDU.
However, Bihar’s political landscape is anything but predictable. Despite the anger, many voters are now prioritising ground realities such as development, employment, education, and personal security. With the Assembly elections approaching, political parties are scrambling to secure every possible vote — especially from the Muslim community, which accounts for nearly 17% of Bihar’s population.
Sajid Akhtar, a political analyst in Patna, explained, “The RJD’s hold over the Muslim vote bank is slipping because of its failure to offer anything concrete. Muslims are slowly beginning to rethink their loyalty. If JDU manages to convince them that it can ensure safety and employment, we might see more such shifts.”
However, Akhtar also warned that the Motihari incident, though significant, does not mean a complete swing in Muslim votes.
“Anger over the Waqf Act still exists. It’s too early to say Muslims are back with JDU. But this move is definitely a warning sign for RJD,” he added.
The defection of 200 Muslim workers may not look massive in numbers, but its timing and symbolism carry weight. It shows that the Muslim voter is not as united behind RJD as previously believed.
While RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has yet to react publicly to the Motihari shift, party sources say the leadership is “unbothered” and still confident of its support base.
A local RJD leader from East Champaran, who did not wish to be named, said, “Let them go. We know who they are. Most were inactive and looking for personal gains. The core community still stands with Lalu ji.”
But political observers are not so sure. With reports of further discontent inside RJD and murmurs of more defections, the party faces a tough challenge in the run-up to the elections.
JDU, for its part, is trying hard to rebuild trust among Muslim voters. Leaders like Khalid Anwar have taken the lead in reaching out to the community and offering assurances.
