AIADMK gives a thumbs down amid talks of tilting to saffron; votes against Waqf Bill in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: Upsetting calculations of the BJP, AIADMK has voted against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, in Rajya Sabha amid the advanced talks with the saffron party for an alliance in Tamil Nadu.

However, two BJD MPs, including its floor leader Sasmit Patra, voted in favour of the BJP-led government while five of his colleagues voted with the Opposition against the Bill after the Naveen Patnaik-led party allowed its lawmakers to vote according to their conscience.

At the final count, the Bill was passed with a 127-95 vote. As per the existing numbers in the House, the BJP-led NDA was to get 125 votes, and it included two MPs who were absent. The Opposition was to get 104 votes, including AIADMK and YSR Congress, if all MPs were present after BJD announced its decision.

Incidentally, the YSR Congress issued a Whip to vote against the Bill late Thursday night, while some MPs had claimed earlier that no such communication was sent to them.

Incidentally, the BJD and YSR Congress fielded its MPs in the debate who opposed the Waqf Bill.

Moral victory

Opposition leaders said that the four-member AIADMK voting against the BJP was a moral victory for them, especially as it came days after the Edappadi K Palaniswami met Home Minister Amit Shah to take forward the alliance talks.

Congress General Secretary (Communications) and party’s Rajya Sabha Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh said the result in Rajya Sabha was “actually a setback” for BJP and there was “shock” on the Treasury Benches that the Opposition mustered up such support.

BJD capitulated

The 95 votes would have been more had not the BJD capitulated to BJP pressures at the last minute, he claimed.

The Opposition numbers could have been more, sources said, adding that MPs like Sharad Pawar, Shibu Soren and Mohua Majhi could not attend the session due to health reasons.

AAP MP Swati Maliwal, who is at loggerheads with her party leadership, voted with the Opposition, while another AAP lawmaker, Harbhajan Singh, was not present during the voting.