Explained: The BJP's Push For Uniform Civil Code Over The Years

The BJP has promised to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal if it's voted to power in the upcoming elections. Bengal is the second election-bound state apart from Assam where the BJP has made this promise, in line with its national-level plans to bring a uniform framework. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently talked about a "secular civil code" on his party's foundation day, aiming to "eliminate discrimination and strengthen the spirit of the constitution."

Decades-Long History

The UCC is a decades-long saga of ideological persistence meeting the cold, hard walls of coalition reality. For the BJP, it has never been just a policy; it is a legacy pillar, part of a sacred trinity alongside the Ram temple and the abrogation of Article 370. Yet, the party's manifestos over the years reveal that the path to 'One Nation, One Law' has been anything but linear.

While in power since 2014, the BJP has managed to fulfil its two key ideological promises: that of the Ram Temple and the abrogation of Article 370; only implementing the UCC remains unfulfilled at the national level. This is why the party has now decided to take it from state to state.

Read: Uniform Civil Code In 6 Months, Rs 3,000 For Women: BJP's Bengal Manifesto

1980s and 1990s

The journey began in the 1980s. Following the Jana Sangh's footsteps, the BJP championed the UCC as a constitutional mandate under Article 44. However, the 1990s introduced a paradox. While the 1996 manifesto boldly featured the UCC, there was no mention in the 1998 and 1999 manifestos.

This wasn't a change in ideology. To lead the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which was formed in 1998 along with more than 20 regional parties, Atal Bihari Vajpayee had to manage a mosaic of regional allies--TDP, Samata Party, and others--who viewed the UCC as a threat to minority sensitivities and social stability.

The BJP then agreed to a 'National Agenda for Governance,' effectively putting its core ideological dreams into cold storage, in a move that defined the 'Vajpayee era' of incrementalism. During the BJP's opposition years from 2004 till 2014, the party mentioned it frequently as a critique of "pseudosecularism".

Read: 'We Will Bring Uniform Civil Code, Infiltrators Won't Be Able To Marry 4 Times': Amit Shah

Post 2014

The silence broke with the arrival of the 2014 and 2019 mandates. With a majority in the Lok Sabha, the BJP no longer needed to shy away from its UCC push. The 2014, 2019, and 2024 manifestos saw the UCC return with a renewed vigour.

However, the return of coalition politics in 2024 brought back familiar faces: N Chandrababu Naidu (TDP) and Nitish Kumar (JDU). Although both parties extended discreet support to contentious measures such as the abrogation of Article 370, the Waqf Amendment Bill, the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC), as well as the Triple Talaq legislation in Parliament, they have remained guarded on the issue of the UCC, insisting that any move must follow extensive consultation.

In 2026, the political landscape sees a delicate balancing act. The TDP, focused on the massive developmental needs of Andhra Pradesh and the legal status of Amaravati, maintains that any UCC must involve exhaustive stakeholder consultation. Similarly, the JDU continues to advocate for a "consensual" rather than an "imposed" reform. Both allies provide the BJP with the numbers to rule in New Delhi but act as a "braking mechanism" on a nationwide UCC law.

Read: BJP's Assam Manifesto Promises To Introduce Uniform Civil Code, End "Love Jihad"

Faced with the challenges, the BJP pivoted to a strategic workaround at the state level. If a national law risked the coalition, the states would lead the charge now.

State-Level Laws

The change in strategy worked. Uttarakhand became the first state in independent India to implement the UCC under Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, fulfilling a 2022 campaign promise. The baton passed to Gujarat, where the Assembly recently made it mandatory to register marriages and live-in relationships, with penalties and potential jail time for non-compliance.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has set a 'Diwali 2026' deadline for UCC rollout. In Assam, the government has made the UCC a centrepiece of its April 2026 'Sankalp Patra', promising implementation within three months of a win.

Even in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that the "spirit" of the UCC is already active in how the state operates, hinting that formal legislation is merely a procedural formality.

As of today, the BJP's position is clear: the UCC is non-negotiable, but timing is crucial. While the central leadership navigates the "consultative" demands of the TDP and JD(U), the BJP's state units indicate that the UCC is slowly becoming a reality.