Pune: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Medha Kulkarni on Friday alleged that her party MLA Abhimanyu Pawar prevented her from sitting in the front row during a students’ felicitation function held for successful Maratha candidates in competitive exams as she is a Brahmin.MP Medha Kulkarni on Friday alleged that her party MLA prevented her from sitting in front row during a students’ felicitation function held for successful Maratha candidates as she is a Brahmin. (HT)The event, which was attended by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, was held for the felicitation of candidates from the Maratha community who cleared competitive examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC), among others.According to Kulkarni, the controversy erupted because some ministers scheduled to attend the event were absent, and she was expected to occupy a front-row seat.“Since no other MP was present, the officials were of the opinion that, as per protocol, I could sit in the front row. Narendra Patil, chairman of the Annasaheb Patil Arthik Magas Vikas Mahamandal (Economically Backward Development Corporation), was also entitled to sit there,” she said.“However, Pawar wanted to sit in the front row. When the officials pointed out that I could sit there as per protocol, Pawar raised the issue of caste and said that since the programme was for the Maratha community, my sitting in the front row could trigger a controversy,” Kulkarni claimed.Pawar rejected the allegations levelled by Kulkarni, maintaining that the entire episode was the result of a misunderstanding.Pawar said, “I only said that since Patil is the chairman of the Mahamandal, he could sit in the front row, while MLAs and MPs could sit in the second row. There is no issue of caste here. Several people were present and heard what I said.”