After the drubbing at the hustings, Lalu Prasad and Ramvilas Paswan may be in for another shock. The home ministry - responsible for providing security to VVIPs - is considering paring down their security.

Paswan, who was holding charge of steel and chemical & fertiliser ministries, lost his seat while outgoing railway minister Lalu Prasad is a mere shadow in his former stronghold of Bihar. Both enjoy Z plus security. There are indications are that Lalu may not find a place in the Union Cabinet lending credence to the logic that security for the duo may be brought down a notch. However, a final call on the matter will be taken by the new home minister.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the Railway Protection Force guarding Lalu's Patna bungalow was withdrawn. Reports suggested that security personnel had been withdrawn from his 10, Circular Road residence with effect from Tuesday morning. This was done following instructions from the RPF headquarters. The East Central Railway has also dismantled the camp office erected at the Patna bungalow. The bungalow, where Prasad stays, has been allotted to his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi.

The security apparatus is divided into five categories in which the Special Protection Group is the elite force, followed by Z plus, Z, Y and X. Z plus and the categories above it are manned by NSG black cats with six personal security officers, two head constables, 12 constables, a pilot vehicle and an escort. Leaders like L K Advani, Narendra Modi, Jayalalithaa, Mayawati, Amar Singh and Paswan have been provided with this cover.

In addition to people who have been provided security by the Centre, the state governments too have various categories of VIP security cover. However, the Prime Minister and his family members, former Prime Ministers and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her family members are protected by the elite SPG.