After a marathon debate lasting over 12 hours, the Rajya Sabha, in the early hours of Friday, passed the contentious Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025. The bill was passed with 128 members voting in favor and 95 against.
What drew national media and social media attention, however, was the stance taken by two major non-NDA and non-Congress parties — Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP).
Both parties opposed the bill but reportedly did not issue a whip to their members, allowing them to vote according to their conscience.
Several national media outlets reported that this indicated a shift in the political positioning of the two parties.
According to one report, the BJD, while opposing the bill, withdrew its whip and advised its MPs to vote "in the best interest of justice, harmony, and the rights of all communities."
Similarly, reports claimed that the YSRCP had also refrained from issuing a whip to its Rajya Sabha members. One widely circulated social media post read:
"BJD and YSRCP are not issuing whips. Leaving it to their MPs to vote according to their conscience on the WAQF AMENDMENT BILL. Cross-voting possibility. Secular bloc cracks before RS vote? BIG ADVANTAGE TO NDA."
Reacting to the speculation, the YSRCP issued a strong rebuttal on Friday, condemning what it called "false propaganda" by certain media outlets and social media handles.
In its official statement, the YSRCP clarified that its Parliamentary Party had indeed issued a clear and formal whip, directing all its Rajya Sabha members to be present in the House and vote against the Waqf Amendment Bill, 2025.
“Any attempts to mislead the public or distort facts are politically motivated and stand condemned. The YSRCP reiterates its unwavering commitment to secular values and urges media platforms to verify facts before promoting baseless speculation,” the statement read.