TDP leaders said the party would support the move but stressed that stakeholders should be consulted before any state adopted a code. Lavu Krishna Devarayalu, the party’s leader in the Lok Sabha, said the TDP would support the proposal and would involve affected groups when the issue reached the stage of implementation.
The party’s Andhra Pradesh president, P Srinivasa Rao, separately said the TDP, as an NDA partner, would go by Shah’s statement. The position marks a clearer endorsement from a party whose support is important to the BJP-led coalition at the Centre and which governs Andhra Pradesh under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Shiv Sena also backed the proposal. Party leader Shrikant Shinde described the UCC as consistent with the principles of equality, justice and national unity and said support for a common civil code had long been associated with the political position of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde also supported Shah’s announcement.
The JD, another key NDA constituent, stopped short of giving an unconditional endorsement. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said the party would first examine the provisions of any UCC Bill and would not oppose it merely for the sake of opposition if the text contained nothing objectionable.
Chaudhary said the full provisions had not yet been placed before the party and there was no reason to rush into a final position. He said any concerns identified by the JD would be raised with Shah. Party national working president Sanjay Jha is expected to discuss the issue with the Home Minister.
The stance sought to qualify sharper remarks from another JD leader, Shyam Rajak, who had said the party supported the concept at the national level but would not allow its implementation in Bihar. JD chief Nitish Kumar has previously argued that a measure of this kind should proceed only after broad consultation and consensus.
Shah said in Mumbai on Sunday that he was confident a UCC would be introduced in all 21 BJP-NDA governed states before the 2029 parliamentary election. He linked the proposal to the BJP’s wider legislative agenda and said several states had already moved towards common civil-law provisions.
A Uniform Civil Code would seek to create a common framework for personal-law matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption, replacing religion-specific rules to the extent provided by individual state legislation. The subject remains politically contested, with supporters emphasising legal equality and opponents raising concerns over religious freedom, federalism and protection of distinct customary practices.
The BJP has pursued a state-by-state route rather than introducing a single nationwide law in Parliament. Uttarakhand has implemented a UCC, while legislation passed by Assam, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh is awaiting presidential assent. That approach places much of the immediate political decision-making with state governments and coalition partners.
Other NDA allies have also taken differing positions. Hindustani Awam Morcha president Santosh Kumar Suman welcomed Shah’s statement, while the Lok Janshakti Party has said it will assess the legal framework and possible effects once a concrete draft or blueprint is available.
The issue carries particular significance for the BJP’s coalition management because the party does not hold a majority on its own in the Lok Sabha. The TDP has 16 MPs, Shiv Sena 13 and the JD 12, giving their positions added importance on legislation requiring sustained support from NDA partners.
