The Shinde government has dealt a big blow as soon as the Maha Vikas Aghadi, the once ruling coalition in Maharashtra, walked out of power. An official informed on Friday that the government has withdrawn the security of 25 leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance. At the same time, the security of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and his family has been maintained.
Also, these leaders will not be given permanent police protection outside their homes or escorts. The official said that a fresh assessment has been made about their safety after which the decision to remove has been taken. Several former cabinet ministers are also among those who lost security.
Security has been maintained for Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar and his family, including his daughter and Baramati Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule, but the security of some other NCP leaders including Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and jailed Anil Deshmukh has been withdrawn. Patil, Bhujbal and Deshmukh have been home ministers in the past. Security has been tightened for NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad.
Interestingly, Uddhav Thackeray’s personal secretary and trusted aide Milind Narvekar has been given a ‘Y-plus-escort’ cover. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Ajit Pawar (NCP) and fellow NCP leader Dilip Walse-Patil, who was the Home Minister in the previous MVA government, have also been given ‘Y-plus-escort’ cover.
He said that the classified covers of leaders like Nawab Malik, Anil Deshmukh, Vijay Wadettiwar, Balasaheb Thorat, Nana Patole, Bhaskar Jadhav, Satej Patil, Dhanjay Munde, Sunil Kedare, Narhari Jirwal and Varun Sardesai have been removed. Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan, both former chief ministers, have been provided ‘Y’ category security.