Upendra Kushwaha, who quit JD-U and set up RLJD, gets security upgrade from Centre

PATNA: The central government has decided to provide ‘Y+’ category security to Rashtriya Lok Janta Dal (RLJD) chief Upendra Kushwaha, who parted ways with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and formed his new party on February 20.

The move comes weeks after the Centre decided to upgrade Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) leader Mukesh Sahni’s security. The government has already deployed three personal security officers (PSO) each for the two.

Under ‘Y+’ security cover, the police are required to deploy 11 security personnel including 1 commando and 2 PSOs. Five out of 11 police personnel are positioned at the protectee’s house.

Upendra Kushwaha, who was lauded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for his “courage” to exit the JD-U and criticise chief minister Nitish Kumar, also started his outreach tour from West Champaran district. The tour, named “birasat bachawo naman yatra”, was planned to cover 28 districts of Bihar and conclude at Kurtha in Arwal district on March 20.

People familiar with the matter said the security upgrade was recommended in view of inputs that Kushwaha could be attacked. He did complain in January when he was still in the JD-U that stones were thrown at his convoy when he was returning to Patna.