Uddhav’s Last-Row Seat At INDIA Bloc Dinner Sparks BJP-Sena (UBT) War of Words
A political firestorm has erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena (UBT) after Uddhav Thackeray was seen seated in the last row during a recent dinner meeting hosted by Rahul Gandhi. The BJP seized on the seating arrangement, claiming Thackeray was “insulted” by his INDIA bloc allies, a charge his party vehemently denies.
The controversy began after a photo emerged showing Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aaditya, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut in the back during a presentation by Rahul Gandhi on alleged voter fraud by the Election Commission. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis led the BJP’s attack, drawing a sharp contrast with Thackeray’s treatment when the undivided Shiv Sena was part of the NDA.
“For us, his respect always came before our own. When he was with us, he was always seated in the front row,” Fadnavis stated, adding, “Uddhav used to say he will not bow before Delhi. See the situation now… It is painful.”
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, whose rebellion toppled Thackeray’s government in 2022, joined the offensive. “Those who mortgage self-pride and abandon Bal Thackeray’s ideals will not feel anything about it. Congress has shown them their place,” Shinde remarked. The Maharashtra BJP amplified the criticism, posting a screenshot from the meeting with the caption, “Find self-respect in this picture!”
The Shiv Sena (UBT) swiftly countered the allegations. Sanjay Raut explained that they were initially given front-row seats but moved to the back for a better view of the presentation screen. “We were sitting in the front, but the TV screen was hurting our eyes, so we moved to the back,” Raut said, dismissing the BJP’s focus on seating arrangements as trivial. “The BJP is stuck on who sat where. A presentation was going on against the BJP’s vote theft,” he added, calling the saffron party “useless.”
Aaditya Thackeray echoed this sentiment, suggesting the BJP’s outrage was a diversion from the serious allegations raised in the meeting. “It was a homely environment. It is our decision on where to sit,” he said. “What has irked them is that the Election Commission runs from their office, which was exposed by Rahul Gandhi.” In a veiled jab at Shinde, Aaditya added that “some people jostle” for front-row seats, alluding to perceived power struggles within the state’s ruling coalition.
