As the award was being presented, Kharge remained off-stage, avoiding the elevated seating section typically reserved for senior party dignitaries. The BJP characterised the arrangement as a deliberate “snub” and viewed the optics as evidence of discord within the Congress leadership. One BJP post on X included footage juxtaposing Kharge’s approach to Sonia Gandhi with visuals of Narendra Modi engaging with senior BJP figure L. K. Advani, accompanied by the caption: “Sanskar apne-apne”. The post suggested contrasting norms of deference within the two parties.
Congress has not issued a detailed public explanation for why Kharge was not seated on the dais alongside Sonia Gandhi. Some party insiders indicate that his position in the audience may reflect allocations determined by the event organisers rather than an internal directive. However, the lack of clarity has allowed the BJP to press the narrative of leadership fragmentation.
Reaction among Congress members has been muted but mixed. While no senior party figure has officially commented on the seating arrangement, a handful of regional leaders privately expressed discomfort at the messaging it projects. Political observers note that any visual of the party president appearing sidelined carries symbolic weight, especially as the Congress approaches key electoral contests.
Analysts suggest that the incident underscores deeper organisational challenges facing the Congress. Kharge, once widely viewed as a unifying bridge between the Gandhis and the broader party apparatus, has in recent months sheltered more from the public spotlight—leading some party watchers to infer a shift in internal power dynamics. The event has provided the BJP with ammunition to question the Congress’s coherence.
For the BJP, the moment offered a strategic communication opportunity. By foregrounding the imagery and framing it as a sign of disrespect to the party president, it aimed to sow doubts about how the Congress values its senior office-bearers. The messaging aligns with the BJP’s broader narrative of an opposition grappling with leadership tension and identity issues.
From a media strategy standpoint, the incident signals the increasing importance of visual optics over purely verbal messaging in Indian politics. Seating arrangements, stage placements and ceremonial order now feed into broader narratives about respect, hierarchy and internal unity. In this context, a few minutes of an awards conference may prove more consequential than intended.