The NY Post reports: He wouldn’t share a stage with fellow Democrat Bill Thompson, but President Obama invited Thompson’s campaign rival, Mayor Bloomberg, to attend a White House state dinner tonight.

The coveted invitation to the black-tie affair, in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, comes less than a month after Bloomberg beat Thompson by a surprisingly slim 5 points — amid grumbling in Democratic quarters that Obama didn’t do enough to boost Thompson.

And it’s the latest example of the president’s strange-bedfellows relationship with Hizzoner.

It’s Obama’s first state dinner at the White House — and the first one, too, for Bloomberg, a political independent.

And it means the mayor will have more face time with the president in one night than Thompson had during the entire campaign.

“Bloomberg is a very important opinion shaper,” said political strategist George Arzt. “To wine and dine Bloomberg is not a bad idea on the part of the president.”

Obama earned anger from some Democrats after he barely endorsed Thompson, the city comptroller.

He called Thompson “my friend” from the stage at a previously scheduled pro-health-care-reform rally in Midtown, but declined to appear publicly with him, while at other times he and his press office had warm words for Bloomberg.

For his part, Bloomberg was supportive of health-care reform — Obama’s signature issue — and has refused to join the chorus of opponents, led largely by Rudy Giuliani, who are against the decision to move the 9/11 terror suspects’ trial to Manhattan.

Arzt noted that it can’t hurt for Obama to have Bloomberg — whom Giuliani has strongly supported — in his corner if the former mayor runs for president in 2012.

Obama’s dinner for Singh — which will be held in a tent on the White House’s South Lawn to accommodate the 320-person guest list — likely will feature herbs from First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House garden added to seasonal dishes whipped up by guest chef Marcus Samuelsson, of Manhattan’s Aquavit.

Tonight’s menu is a closely guarded secret, but it’s considered bad form to replicate the visiting country’s cuisine.

Reports have it that a trio of Hollywood moguls who raised big bucks for Obama — Steven Spielberg, David Geffen, and Jeffrey Katzenberg — will be there, as well as mega-agent Ari Emanuel, brother of Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm.