TAMIL actor-politician Vijay, who launched a political party Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) last year, has been granted 'Y' category security by the union home ministry.
The decisions on the level of security to be provided for VIPs (X, Y, Z and Z+) are based on threat assessments submitted to the government by the intelligence bureau.
The 'Y' security comprises an eight-person entourage, with one or two National Security Guard (NSG) commandos along with policemen, NDTV reports. This security will be provided only within Tamil Nadu.
The decision also comes in the wake of TVK planning to contest the upcoming 2026 Assembly Elections in Tamil Nadu.
Over the last few months, the actor-politician has been making efforts to enrol members and strengthen TVK's support base in the state.
The actor's upcoming film Thalapathy 69 is being seen as his last one, after which he plans to be a full-time politician.
The movie also stars Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Pooja Hegde, Priyamani, and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar.
Meanwhile, AIADMK senior leader K P Munusamy wondered if there was a genuine reason to provide 'Y' scale security cover to Vijay.
"The actor has emerged as the leader of a party attracting crowds wherever he goes. I would be happy if the Centre had been generous in providing him with security. If not, has he been given this security to win him over to the BJP side," Munusamy asked during his interaction with reporters in Krishnagiri.
There are also reports that Vijay has roped in election strategist Prashant Kishor as a special adviser to guide his party during the state elections.
Kishor on Tuesday (11) held discussions with functionaries of TVK as part of his efforts to formulate a winning strategy for the party.
He analysed key pointers including the political scenario, and the feasibility of aligning with potential parties with functionaries.
Meanwhile, other prominent political parties in Tamil Nadu have played down Kishor's association with Vijay's party.
DMK leader Kanimozhi said Kishore was an election strategist, a "professional" who offered his services to political parties if solicited and her party was not concerned about it.
CPI(M) leader K Balakrishnan said cinema popularity alone would not guarantee success in politics; Tamil Nadu people are politically conscious and Kishor on his own cannot create something (support) for the TVK if that was not already available. (Agencies)
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Mourners read the holy Quran while sitting around the grave of a paramilitary personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) who was killed during the Afghanistan-Pakistan border clashes, in Kohat on October 17, 2025. A ceasefire along the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan was holding on October 16, officials on both sides said, after dozens of troops and civilians were killed in cross-border clashes.Getty Images
