A fresh political row has erupted after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray was seen seated in the back row during the INDIA bloc meeting held in New Delhi on Thursday, chaired by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. The BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have accused the Congress of “insulting” Uddhav, claiming it reflects the party’s long-standing disregard for the Thackeray legacy.

The opposition meeting saw participation from 50 leaders across 25 parties, including Akhilesh Yadav (SP), Sharad Pawar (NCP – SP), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Farooq Abdullah (NC), and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), among others.

BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhaye alleged that Uddhav was deliberately pushed to the back, saying, “When Uddhavji was with the BJP, we always gave him front-row respect. But now, Rahul Gandhi forced him to the back. This is how Congress treats the Thackerays.”

Upadhaye further accused the Congress of never acknowledging Balasaheb Thackeray as “Hindu Hridaysamrat,” never visiting Matoshree, or paying tributes at his memorial — unlike Amit Shah and other BJP leaders.

Echoing the sentiment, Shinde Sena MP Naresh Mhaske claimed that Aaditya Thackeray and Sanjay Raut were also made to sit at the back. “The Congress has shown them their true worth,” he remarked.

Responding to the allegations, UBT MP Sanjay Raut dismissed the claims and clarified the seating arrangement: “The meeting was held in an open space with a large screen. Uddhavji chose to sit at the back for a better view. Aaditya and I joined him — it was a matter of visibility, not status.”

The incident, while seemingly minor, has snowballed into a larger narrative war, reflecting deep fractures within the opposition and giving ammunition to rivals amid growing talks of alliance-building ahead of the next general elections.