Some believe that Dalits are being warned by outspoken factions of the Opposition about the BJP's alleged intentions to amend the Constitution if it secures a third consecutive term, potentially abolishing the reservation system. Many argue that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should avoid setting a 400-plus seat victory as the NDA's target to alleviate concerns.
Recently, Congress leader Sachin Pilot was quoted as saying this at a rally in Rajasthan: "How many MPs are required to form a government? 272 MPs. Then why do they need 400? Their intention is to tamper with the provisions of the Constitution related to reservation for Dalits."
As per columnist Arihand Pawariya, a narrative is gaining ground that changing the Constitution is Modi's end goal. "The Modi-Shah duo is trying to counter this but they can't do much beyond a point. This is not BJP's strong area so they will have to stop mention of 400+ and come up with an entirely different narrative for the rest of the election and get the Opposition to play on that pitch," he added.
If Dalits really stay away from voting for the BJP, the party's seat tally will see a sure-fire dip.
