Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) Working President Charan Das Mahant’s security cover which was upgraded to Z plus has apparently revealed Congress party’s signal to the State leadership as to who will call the shots if the party comes to power in Chhattisgarh.
The Z plus security cover to Dr Mahant was provided at the instance of All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Sonia Gandhi is already being read as a clear indication that the former could be a strong choice as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh if the party is able to prevent a hatrick win for the ruling BJP in the State. Presently, apart from Dr Mahant, Chief Minister Raman Singh and family of late Mahendra Karma had been provided Z plus security cover in Chhattisgarh.
Political pundits are seeing the elevation in the security cover of Dr Mahant as a clear signal down the party line fraught with factionalism the choice of a Chief Minister is in the hands of the party high command . Meanwhile Dr Mahant while talking to The Pioneer said, ‘I had asked for Z plus security cover from the Home Ministry considering the fact that I have to travel across the State after the Dharbha Ghati incident.
“Party President Sonia Gandhi had the inputs that incidents such as the one at Jeeram Ghati could be repeated while supporting a Z plus cover for me,” said Mahant. The CPCC Working President, while commenting over the security cover provided to other party workers informed that about 27 or 28 persons in Bijapur have been given security guards by the Union Government depending on their status and importance on my recommendation.
“For this purpose I had personally written a letter to the Union govcernment on June 15 and 16,” Dr Manant maintained. On the other hand, till February this year Chief Minister Raman singh’s request lay pending with the Union Home Ministry for the Z plus security cover from the elite National Security Guard (NSG) as was informed by an official from NSG at Manesar Haryana in its Base camp. later NSG Director General (DG) Arvind Rajan said that Dr Raman Singh may soon be guarded by NSG Commandoes--the Black cats.
Rajan stated that the Chief Minister Raman Singh is currently provided security by special squad of State police and Dr Raman Singh had sought Z plus security cover due to Maoist insurgency problems in Chhattisgarh. The category of security given to individual is under the discretion of Home Ministry. The threat perception is taken into account based on inputs received from the Intelligence Bureau.
The category of security can also be withdrawn depending on the threat perception Rajan had stated, said in a Base camp of NSG, Manesar in Hariyana. Follwoing, Jeeram Ghati carnage in which almost the entire State Congress leadership was wiped out, the Union minister and Working President of State Congress Dr Charandas Mahant also has sought a beefed up security and provided with Z + security in the light of forthcoming polls in Chhattisgarh. The upgraded security cover to Dr Mahant which is almost equals to CM’s is being considered as a signal that if party performs well then only Mahant will be seen as aspirant to lead the Government in Chhattisgarh.