MHA grants Y-plus security cover to Shiv Sena deserters; Aaditya Thackeray reacts

The Amit Shah-led Union Home Ministry on Sunday extended Y-plus security cover of CRPF commandos to 15 Shiv Sena MLAs who after deserting their party are now staying at a 5-star hotel in Guwahati and being taken care of by the BJP-led state government.

The MHA's move came after the Maharashtra Government withdrew security cover from the rebel MLAs.

Those who were provided the security cover include Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Prakas Surve and 10 others.

Their families living in Maharashtra too will be secured as the security blanket entails house protection teams, they said.

Reacting to the development, Aaditya Thackeray, son of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and himself a minister in Maharashtra cabinet, said that the Centre should have provided the CRPF security cover to Kashmiri Pandits who need this and not the rebels who fled.

Officials said the security has been sanctioned to the legislators following a recommendation made by central security agencies to the Ministry of Home Affairs, stating they and their families faced potential threats to their physical security owing to the current political scenario in Maharashtra.

About four to five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos, in shifts, will be securing each MLA once they are in Maharashtra, they added.

A majority of Shiv Sena MLAs have shifted their loyalty to minister Eknath Shinde and are currently camping in Guwahati, plunging the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who heads the Sena, into a crisis.

The Maharashtra legislature secretariat had on Saturday issued 'summons' to 16 of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, seeking written replies by the evening of June 27 to the complaints seeking their disqualification.

The party's national executive has authorised Uddhav Thackeray to take action against the rebel MLAs.

(With PTI inputs)