THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister of State for External Affairs and senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan turned down the security provided by the state government after escort and pilot vehicles were not provided for his movement in the capital.
According to sources close to Muraleedharan, the Union Minister, who is entitled to ‘Y’ category security, was not provided pilot and escort vehicles on his arrival at Thiruvananthapuram airport.
Even during the assembly election period, an escort vehicle was provided to the minister by the state government. Meanwhile, the Personal Security Officer provided by the state police was reportedly asked to get down from the spare vehicle accompanying the Minister en-route at Bakery Junction. Since the pilot and escort vehicles were not provided, the Minister is learnt to have taken the stance that state police security was also not required while touring the state.