Maha: 25 MVA leaders lose 'categorised' security in major reshuffle, Uddhav, Pawar retain cover

The Eknath Shinde-led Maharashtra government has removed 'categorised' security cover of 25 leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, an official said.

It means these leaders would not have permanent police security outside their houses or escort. The decision was taken after a fresh assessment of their security perception, the official said on Friday. Those who were stripped of their 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 (NCP) 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.

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Patil, Bhujbal and Deshmukh have been home ministers in the past. The security cover of NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad has been maintained. Interestingly, Milind Narvekar, personal secretary and trusted aide of Uddhav Thackeray, has been given 'Y-plus-escort' cover. 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 categorized 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).

Kalaben Delkar, MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli, too lost her security cover. Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Prithviraj Chavan, both former chief ministers, have been provided 'Y category' security.

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All decisions regarding security cover have been taken professionally considering the threat perception and the move has nothing to do with the leaders' political affiliations, the official claimed.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government, which came to power after the 2019 Assembly polls, collapsed on June 29 this year following a rebellion against the Shiv Sena leadership by Eknath Shinde and 39 party legislators.

Shinde became the chief minister on June 30, with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.