The Bengal government has reinstated Y-category security for former Calcutta mayor Sovan Chatterjee who had switched to the BJP on August 14.

The change has came after he visited chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s home at Kalighat here for Bhai Phonta on Tuesday.

A team of officers reported to Chatterjee on Friday and introduced themselves as a part of the protocol. Sources said the team had already collected details of his movements for the next few days and security guards were accordingly deployed from Friday afternoon.

Chatterjee used to be accorded Z category security, but it was later downgraded to Y.

“When Sovan joined the BJP, he still had Y category security with a cover of 11 police personnel, including two commandoes. The security was withdrawn after he joined the BJP and only one personal security officer was provided,” said a source.

The former Trinamul minister’s visit to Mamata’s home and the reinstatement of his security clearly show the ice between the two has started melting.

Sources said the chief minister had enquired about the health of Chatterjee when he had visited her residence on Tuesday. “The chief minister advised him to go for morning walk on a regular basis. Sovan told the chief minister that he couldn’t move freely these days as his security was withdrawn. She did not promise him anything then, but it is clear the security was reinstated following an instruction from the top brass of the government,” said an official.

Asked about the security upgrade for Chatterjee, Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said: “Why his security was withdrawn and why it has been given back are not understandable. You should ask Mamata Banerjee to know the reason,”

Asked about Chatterjee’s current status in the BJP, Ghosh, said: “We had found a one rupee coin on the road and just passed it on, nothing more to it.”