Mumbai, May 11 — The Shiv Sena (UBT) is facing sharp criticism for party chief Uddhav Thackeray's prolonged absence during the Pahalgam terror attack and his decision to skip a key all-party meeting, with political observers and party insiders saying the optics have damaged the party’s public image.
Thackeray, who had not made a public appearance since April 19, reportedly returned from a family vacation in Europe only recently. His absence coincided with the tragic April 22 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.
Political Heat Mounts Over Timing
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde took a swipe at Thackeray’s absence, accusing the latter of holidaying in Europe while party workers were in crisis. "Party leaders were vacationing in Europe while their workers were in a coma," Shinde said.Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora also criticised Thackeray sharply. In a post on X, he said, “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.” He added that the state needed “warriors on duty, not part-time Netas on holiday.”
In another post on May 9, Deora doubled down: “Take UBT, for instance. Their hate for PM @narendramodi ji & DCM @mieknathshinde ji has turned into hate for India & Maharashtra.”
Party Insiders Admit Optics Are Poor
While party officials confirmed Thackeray is now back in India, a Sena (UBT) MLA admitted the timing of the trip has been problematic. “Taking a break is a personal matter, but his long absence during a national crisis reflects poorly on the party,” the MLA said.Despite not being physically present, Shiv Sena (UBT) arranged special flights to bring back stranded tourists from Maharashtra after the Pahalgam attack. Meanwhile, Shinde visited Jammu and Kashmir and met families of the victims.
Missed Meetings and Mixed Messages
Adding to the controversy, Shiv Sena (UBT) missed a crucial all-party meeting held in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Initially, party leaders Arvind Sawant and Sanjay Raut cited committee travel as the reason for their absence.Later, Raut said the party skipped the meeting deliberately, claiming they would have demanded Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation — a move that could have embarrassed their INDIA bloc allies. He added that the party wanted the government to take concrete action, which was fulfilled when India launched 'Operation Sindoor'.
The Sena (UBT) did eventually attend the all-party meeting held on May 7 following India’s military retaliation.
Analysts Question Leadership, Commitment
Political experts are questioning the timing and handling of the crisis by Thackeray and his party. Abhay Deshpande said, “Thackeray should have returned right after the Pahalgam attack. As a major INDIA bloc partner, skipping the meeting sent the wrong message.”Hemant Desai added, “The undivided Shiv Sena was always proactive during crises. Thackeray’s trip should have been cut short. Optics matter.” He also questioned the party's silence while criticising Prime Minister Modi: “What were UBT leaders doing at the time?”
Although Aaditya Thackeray responded to the terror attack and India's counter-operations on social media, Uddhav Thackeray himself issued a statement only on May 7.
Thackeray Set to Return to Public Eye
Sources say Uddhav Thackeray is expected to make a public appearance next week. Sanjay Raut confirmed that Thackeray will attend a book launch event alongside NCP-SP chief Sharad Pawar on May 17.As political temperatures rise ahead of the elections, the fallout from this episode may continue to impact the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s public perception and positioning within the opposition alliance.
