Mumbai, Aug. 21 (IANS): The Central government on Wednesday accorded the highest Z-Plus security cover to Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar, party officials said.

The Union Home Ministry has directed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to extend the highest level of VVIP armed security blanket to the veteran politician ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra scheduled to be held later this year.

The move follows a review of the threat perceptions to the senior leader carried out by central agencies, said a senior NCP(SP) leader, declining to be named.

In view of certain recent developments, they recommended the topmost Z-Plus armed security cover for Pawar, a former Union Minister and four-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

The senior NCP leader said that he will be protected by a crack CRPF team of around 10 armed personnel, along with other security paraphernalia, ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Earlier in April 2022, Pawar and his family had been given a Z-Plus security ring after some persons attacked his home in South Mumbai during a political agitation.

There was chaos outside the veteran politician's residence after over a hundred striking workers of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) staged angry protests, accusing Pawar of not doing anything to help them.

Employees of the state transport body having more than 90,000 persons on its payroll were on strike since November 2021. Pawar's NCP was part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra at that time.

Following the incident, the then undivided NCP demanded that Pawar's security cover be upgraded and wondered if the 'attack' on his residence was a pre-planned conspiracy to create instability in the state.

Pawar, 83, is among the senior-most and highly-respected political leaders in the state and his party is a key constituent of the national opposition INDIA bloc.

VIP security cover categorisations begin from the highest Z-Plus category, followed by Z, Y, and X.