The Congress came down hard on the ruling BJP by accusing it of adapting ‘cheap tactics’ in allotting a seat only in the 4th row for Congress President Rahul Gandhi during yesterday’s Republic Day Parade at Rajpath in New Delhi.

Seat allocation for VIPs has been a huge head-ache for organizers at the annual R-Day Parade as every VIP invariable seeks a ‘vintage’ position to watch the proceedings.  Yesterday’s Parade was very special as it was attended by as many as 10 Heads of States of ASEAN countries who were ‘special guests’.  Local VIPs, Union Ministers, MPs, Delhi Govt. officials, Ministers, etc. and others took part in huge numbers.

Former Congress president Sonia Gandhi was allotted a seat in the front row for three years (from 2015-17) in her capacity as the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha.  However, Rahul Gandhi, who took over as party president from his mother Sonia Gandhi a few months back, was allotted as seat only in the fourth row which irked the Congress Party to no end.

“BJP is indulging in cheap tactics and it can’t demean/insult our leader by allotting him a seat in the fourth row,” a party leader said and added that Rahul was allotted a seat in the ‘back row’ purposely to degrade him.  It also pointed out that BJP president Amit Shah had been allotted a seat on the front row.

In the meantime, the BJP-led Centre denied the allegations and said that the paucity of seats occurred because of participation of 10 heads of States at this year’s Parade.