Govt downgrades Shivpal’s security to ‘Y’ category

LUCKOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday downgraded the security cover of national president of Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) Shivpal Yadav from “Z” to “Y” category.

The decision comes in the backdrop of Shivpal Yadav’s aggressive campaigning for December 5 Mainpuri Lok Sabha byelection in favour of Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav.

In a letter issued by Vaibhav Krishna, SP (training and security) on November 27, to the police commissioner, Kanpur, and senior superintendent of police, Etawah, instructions were issued to downgrade

Shivpal’s security. Shivpal had been having “Z” category security cover for the past several years.

The BJP government had provided the top security cover to Shivpal Yadav after he walked out of the Samajwadi Party due to his estranged relationship with former CM and his nephew Akhilesh Yadav and formed his own political outfit Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia).

The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat had fallen vacant after the demise of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on October 10 this year.

Polling of votes for Mainpuri bypoll will take place of December 5 and counting will be done on December 8.