Mumbai: 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.
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.
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.
NCP hits back at E-D govt
Nationalist Congress Party state chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase attacking CM Shinde said that he reduced police protection and security cover of all opposition leaders in the state with a sole intention to suppress the voice of the opposition.
"Three months ago the Shinde Government assumed office in an unconstitutional manner. The Supreme Court is yet to decide on the constitutional validity of the Government," said Tapase.
"By withdrawing the security of NCP State President Jayant Patil and senior leader Chaggan Bhujbal the Government may be thinking that NCP may go slow in its opposition to the Government," he added saying that the government which has failed on many fronts in the state, such as getting new investments, projects, reducing unemployment and eliminating farmer suicide is trying to suppress the voice of the opposition.
