Ruling alliance's chances in Maha harmed by BJP's "400 paar" slogan: state minister

State minister and Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal stated on Tuesday that the Bharatiya Janata Party's slogan about winning 400 seats in the Lok Sabha election this year may have harmed the chances of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, as reported by The Indian Express.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, the Nationalist Congress Party led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and the Shiv Sena group led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are part of the Mahayuti alliance.

Bhujbal belongs to the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party group.

In a speech to party members on Tuesday at a conference in Mumbai, Bhujbal stated that Dalits were concerned that if the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance were to win over 400 seats, it would amend the Constitution, Scroll.in reported.

“The persistent rhetoric surrounding ‘400 paar’ led Dalits to fear an impending constitutional amendment under BJP governance,” Bhujbal said, according to The Indian Express. “Addressing this concern during the campaign proved to be quite challenging for us.”

The minister also expressed alarm about rumours that the state administration intended to incorporate passages from the Hindu text Manusmriti into the proposed Maharashtra State Curriculum Framework. He warned that this might cause potential electoral consequences.

“This initiative must be halted,” Bhujbal said. “Though seemingly insignificant now, it could pose future challenges.”

The Hindu scripture Manusmriti was written by Manu, an ascetic. The text's caste- and gender-based rules have drawn a lot of criticism.

Bhujbal has frequently voiced political views in opposition to the state government's policies in recent months. He had stated in January that by reducing the current quota designated for Other Backward Classes, the Maharashtra government was providing Marathas with a “backdoor entry” into reservations in government posts and education.