The central government on Friday accorded Z security cover of armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos to Yashwant Sinha, the joint opposition candidate for the presidential elections. The Z category is the second-highest security cover given to high-risk individuals in the country. Officials told news agency PTI that commandos, about eight to ten working in shifts, will escort the 84-year-old leader whenever he travels across the country.
He is expected to file his nomination on June 27 after which he is expected to travel across India.
Yashwant Sinha, a former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet, joined the Trinamool Congress (TMC) in March last year. However, he left the party earlier this week after he was chosen as the joint opposition's presidential candidate.
The security cover to Sinha comes days after the government provided Z+ security cover of CRPF commandos to the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA's) presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu. A detachment of about 14-16 commandos based in Odisha has taken over the task of providing the security cover to Murmu, who will also travel across the country to meet legislators and leaders of various political parties to seek support for her candidature.
It is expected that the squad will also guard her till she takes charge as the first citizen of the country.
{{/usCountry}}It is expected that the squad will also guard her till she takes charge as the first citizen of the country.
{{/usCountry}}Murmu, who is currently in Delhi, will file her nomination on Friday as she left for parliament from the Odisha Bhavan.
The presidential polls will be held on July 18 and the results will be out by July 21. President Ram Nath Kovind's term will end on July 24.