LUCKNOW: The Mayawati Government has withdrawn the security cover given by the Samajwadi Party regime to leading politicians. Among those whose `Z' category security has been withdrawn are SP general secretary Amar Singh, the former Ministers Shivpal Singh Yadav and Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias `Raja Bhaiyya' and the former Chief Minister Mulayam Singh's son Akhilesh Yadav.

The order was issued by the State Home Department on Wednesday. An official spokesman told newspersons on Thursday that the decision followed a review by a three-member panel headed by Principal Secretary (Home) K. Chandramouli.

`Z' only for 6 VIPs

The number of VVIPs and VIPs with the security cover of `Z plus,' `Z,' `Y' and `X' categories was pruned down from 89 to 43. While `Z plus' security would continue for nine VVIPs, including Chief Minister Mayawati and the former Chief Ministers Mulayam Singh, Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh, only six VIPs would be entitled to `Z' security.

Even though the spokesman declined to name the persons whose security cover was withdrawn or scaled down, informed sources said the `Z' category protection given to State BJP chief Kesari Nath Tripathi and the senior party leader Lalji Tandon by the previous Government was scaled down to `Y'.

BJP and Congress legislature party leaders Om Prakash Singh and Pramod Tiwari were given `Z' class security, the sources said. The `Z' class security was withdrawn for the former Chief Secretary Naveen Chandra Bajpai and the former Union Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande.

The sources said the `Z' cover provided to Union Ministers Sri Prakash Jaiswal and Akhilesh Das and the former Prime Minister S. Chandra Shekhar would continue.

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