The Maharashtra government has decided to continue the Y plus security cover to all the 41 MLAs and 10 MPs belonging to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s camp even three months after the new government was formed, an official said on Monday.
This decision was taken based on inputs given by the intelligence department. A review meeting was held by the state police last week which decided to continue the security to these legislators.
“The state home department has decided to continue providing Y+ security to all the 41 MLAs of chief minister Eknath Shinde’s camp as well as to 10 MPs. The decision was taken based on inputs given by the intelligence department,” the police official said.
Under Y+ security, four security personnel will guide the protectee in two shifts along with a security vehicle. The Maharashtra government recently removed the “categorised” security cover of 25 leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress.
Those who lost security cover include several former Cabinet ministers.
The security cover of Uddhav Thackeray, the previous chief minister, and his family has been retained.
The security cover of Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and his family including his daughter and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule too has been retained, but that of some other NCP leaders including Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and jailed Anil Deshmukh has been removed.
They have been home ministers in the past. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar (NCP) and fellow NCP leader Dilip Walse- Patil, who was home minister in the previous MVA government, too have been given ‘Y-plus-escort’ cover. The other leaders who lost categorised security cover included Nawab Malik (NCP), Vijay Wadettiwar, Balasaheb Thorat, Nana Patole, Satej Patil (all Congress), Bhaskar Jadhav (Shiv Sena), Dhanajay Munde (NCP), Sunil Kedare (Congress), Narhari Zirwal (NCP) and Varun Sardesai (Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), Eknath Khadse (NCP), Anil Parab and Sanjay Raut (both Shiv Sena UBT). Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan, both former chief ministers, have been provided ‘Y category’ security, officials had said.
