New Delhi (NDTV): Mukul Roy, once West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Number 2 in the Trinamool Congress who joined the BJP yesterday, is already experiencing the effects of switching his allegiance. The 63-year-old who quit the Trinamool and resigned his Rajya Sabha seat last month has been given 'Y Plus' category security by the centre.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been entrusted with the task of safeguarding the former railway minister under the UPA regime, official sources told news agency PTI. "A contingent of armed CRPF commandos will take charge of the new protectee in the next few days. Roy will have about three to four commandos with him, whenever he is in West Bengal," a senior official was quoted as saying.

He said a threat analysis report, prepared by central intelligence and security agencies, favoured granting of such a cover to Mr Roy.

In September, at the peak of his protracted falling-out with the Trinamool leadership, Mr Roy had asked for his 'Z' category security to be "taken back".

Mr Roy, a founding member of the Trinamool Congress, joined the BJP in Delhi yesterday, declaring that his new party "will in the near future grab power in West Bengal." He also said he was "proud to be working under Prime Minister Narendra Modi".

"I have joined the BJP today, I am very much confident. I believe BJP is not a communal force but a secular force," Mr Roy said, encouraged to speak in Bengali by Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who announced his induction.

In September, NDTV reported that the list of VIPs who get special protection under the Narendra Modi government had reached an all-time high despite its firm commitments against VIP culture. The centre had said then that it hoped to trim the list that was at 475, compared to 350 by the previous Congress-led government.

Special security is provided by the centre and state governments under several categories ranging from X to Z plus based on a threat perception that the government assesses from time to time; the difference is in the number of security personnel that protect the person. People with Z category security get 30 guards, while people with Y Plus security get 11.