New Delhi, Jun 26 (IANS): The Union government has decided to provide 'Y+' category security cover of armed Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel to 15 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs who have revolted against the Uddhav Thackeray government in Maharashtra.

Sources said that 'Y+' category security cover of armed CRPF personnel has been provided to 15 Shiv Sena MLAs which include Prakash Surve, Sadanand Sarvankar, Yogesh Dada Kadam, Pratap Sarnaik, Ramesh Bornare, Mangesh Kudalkar, Sanjay Shirsat, Latabai Sonawane, Yamini Jadhav, Pradeep Jaiswal, Sanjay Rathod, Dadaji Bhuse, Dilip Lande, Balaji Kalyanar and Sandipan Bhumare.

These leaders have joined Eknath Shinde's camp in the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra.

The centre's decision came a day after Shinde in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the security cover provided to the family members of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs had been withdrawn.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government had rejected the charges. Shinde claimed to have the support of more than two-thirds of the Shiv Sena MLAs.

Even as the BJP has officially kept itself away from the Shiv Sena's internal tussle, it is being reported that rebel leader Shinde, who is camping in Guwahati and Maharashtra former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis may have met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at an undisclosed location in Gujarat's Vadodara.