Mumbai: A political row has erupted after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was seen sitting in the last row during an INDIA bloc dinner hosted by Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on August 7 in Delhi. Thackeray was accompanied by party MP Sanjay Raut and MLA Aaditya Thackeray at the meeting, which was attended by leaders of various opposition parties.
Photos from the event, where Gandhi gave a presentation on electoral roll discrepancies and the Election Commission, showed Uddhav, Raut, and Aaditya seated at the back. The images triggered sharp criticism from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and BJP, who accused Thackeray of accepting “humiliating treatment” from the Congress.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remarked,
“When he was with us, he always sat in the front row — ahead of us even. It is now clear how much respect he gets there. He once said he would never bow before Delhi, but looking at the current situation when he’s out of power, it is sad but expected.”
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde commented,
“If the person who was insulted has no problem, what can I say? They have mortgaged their pride to the Congress, which may have shown him his place.”
Shiv Sena (Shinde) MP Naresh Mhaske posted on social media, questioning Thackeray’s self-respect:
“You claim to carry forward Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy, but you sat in the last row at a Congress meeting? Balasaheb Thackeray taught us to fight against insults. You have shamed Maharashtra in Delhi.”
Shinde faction leaders, including MLA Manisha Kayande and spokesperson Sheetal Mhatre, staged symbolic protests at Balasaheb Thackeray’s memorial, urging Uddhav to “apologize” for allowing himself to be “disrespected.”
However, opposition leaders dismissed the controversy. NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule called the ruling camp’s allegations “ridiculous,” saying,
“It was an informal get-together. Pawar saheb was also seated at the back, Akhilesh Yadav was in the second row. It wasn’t a protocol event — people sat wherever they found space. Do you always sit in the front row at a cinema?”
Sanjay Raut and Aaditya Thackeray echoed this, explaining that Uddhav moved to the last row to better view Rahul Gandhi’s presentation, and they simply accompanied him.
“It was like a family dinner. There was no protocol issue,” Raut said. “When you go to a cinema hall, do you always sit in the front?”
