The Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing mounting criticism over party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s absence during the recent Pahalgam terror attack and the decision to skip the initial all-party meeting convened in its aftermath. Both political analysts and party insiders believe the optics have dented the party’s image during a time of national crisis.
According to sources cited by news agency PTI, the Thackeray family has returned from a vacation. Uddhav Thackeray was last seen publicly on April 19, when he addressed members of the Bharatiya Kamgar Sena, the party’s labour wing. His absence coincided with the April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.
The controversy deepened after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde took a swipe at Thackeray on Thursday, accusing him of holidaying in Europe while party workers and citizens were dealing with the aftermath of the attack.
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora went further in his criticism, posting on X:
“From sons of the soil to tourists of India. How far the Thackerays have fallen. While bullets flew in Pahalgam, they were vacationing in Europe. Maharashtra needs warriors on duty, not part-time netas on holiday.”
On May 9, shortly after India launched retaliatory strikes in what was termed Operation Sindoor, Deora followed up with another post:
“Take UBT, for instance. Their hate for PM @narendramodi ji & DCM @mieknathshinde ji has turned into hate for India & Maharashtra.”
Within the party, some leaders have acknowledged the damage. A Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted the timing of the absence was unfortunate:
“Taking a personal break isn’t wrong, but the timing has impacted public perception.”
Another party functionary confirmed that Thackeray is back in the country, although specifics of his travel itinerary remain undisclosed.
In contrast, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited Jammu and Kashmir soon after the attack to oversee the evacuation of stranded tourists from Maharashtra. His government arranged special flights and personally met families affected by the tragedy.
While Shiv Sena (UBT) also helped coordinate travel arrangements, it faced backlash for skipping the first all-party meeting called after the attack. MP Arvind Sawant initially cited prior parliamentary committee commitments as the reason for missing the meeting. Later, Sanjay Raut said the party deliberately stayed away, claiming they intended to demand Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s resignation—something that could have embarrassed their INDIA alliance partners.
The party did, however, participate in the second all-party meeting on May 7, following India’s military response under Operation Sindoor. Raut defended their earlier absence, saying the government had taken no concrete steps at the time.
Political analysts believe the damage may already be done.
Abhay Deshpande noted that Thackeray’s absence during such a sensitive period reflected poorly on the party, especially as a key INDIA bloc member.
Hemant Desai remarked that the undivided Shiv Sena had historically been vocal and proactive in times of national crisis, and that Thackeray should have cut short his vacation to lead from the front.
“When the Sena (UBT) criticizes the Prime Minister after the Pahalgam attack, people naturally ask—where were its leaders then?” Desai said, adding that while leadership absence doesn’t halt party functioning, it does shape public perception.
While Uddhav Thackeray issued a statement after Operation Sindoor on May 7, he made no immediate public comments following the Pahalgam attack. Aaditya Thackeray, however, posted on social media in response to both the attack and India’s subsequent actions.
Uddhav Thackeray is expected to make a public appearance soon, possibly addressing the criticism surrounding his absence.
