'Thalapathy' Vijay, actor and TVK founder
Credit: PTI File Photo
Chennai: Actor Vijay has been accorded ‘Y’ category security within Tamil Nadu by the Union Home Ministry, prompting a sharp reaction from AIADMK, which suspected whether the BJP would use the security cover to get the newbie politician to its side.
50-year-old Vijay is the President of Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), a fledgling political party preparing to make its electoral debut in the 2026 elections.
The Union Home Ministry, in a notification issued on February 13, said Vijay will get ‘Y’ security within Tamil Nadu following a security audit by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
The security audit is carried out periodically to assess the threat perception for politicians and other public personalities. ‘Y’ category includes a security detail of eight personnel, including one or two commandos and the protection will be round-the-clock, with an armed guard.
The development comes months before Vijay is set to embark on a state-wide tour to meet people and canvass votes for the TVK in the 2026 assembly polls. “Vijay will accept the security cover which has been accorded primarily based on the security audit by IB. We also gave our inputs about the threat perception he faces,” a source in TVK told DH.
The source said that the Y security cover will be helpful in managing the crowd during Vijay’s public engagement as a politician in the coming months. “We expect huge crowds to throng the venues to have a glimpse at him. This will help ease some pressure,” the source added.
AIADMK deputy general secretary K P Munusamy said he doesn’t know on what basis the Union Home Ministry has accorded Y security to Vijay.
“He is now the leader of a political party as well as an actor. There will certainly be huge crowds (to see him). If the security cover was awarded keeping this into account, it is fine. But if the decision was made with the intention to pull Vijay to their side…If you look back at BJP’s history, you will get the answer,” Munusamy said.
Vijay, who has identified the BJP as his "ideological enemy", is serious about his political entry and has roped in ace political strategist Prashant Kishor as “special advisor” to his TVK for the 2026 polls which is likely to be a multi-cornered contest.