The Uttar Pradesh Government has accorded ‘Y’ category security to Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president Om Prakash Rajbhar, an alliance partner of the Samajwadi Party. Under this category, a protectee is provided 11 security personnel, including two personal security officers (PSOs).
The development has come days after Rajbhar’s party broke ranks with the SP and voted for Droupadi Murmu, who was the NDA’s candidate in the July 18 presidential election and beat her rival Yashwant Sinha.
In a letter to the additional director general of police (security), Joint Secretary of Home department Vinay Kumar Singh said it has been decided to extend ‘Y’ category security to SBSP president and Zahurabad MLA Om Prakash Rajbhar provisionally in anticipation of a decision in this regard, a senior official said. Singh also asked the ADG to complete the necessary formalities in the matter. When contacted, SBSP national spokesperson and Rajbhar’s son Arjun confirmed that the party president is being provided ‘Y’ category security. The SBSP had contested the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections held earlier this year in alliance with the SP. However, the ties between the two parties turned sour after the bypolls to Azamgarh and Rampur Lok Sabha seats.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav did not invite Rajbhar to a meeting convened in Lucknow in support of Yashwant Sinha early this month while another ally and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary attended it. Later, Rajbhar announced that the SBSP would support Murmu but maintained that his six-MLA party was still part of the opposition that fought the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections together.