Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Thalapathy Vijay unleashed a blistering attack on the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government on Sunday, accusing it of orchestrating widespread corruption within the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC), the state’s liquor retail monopoly. The actor-turned-politician’s remarks follow recent Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids that uncovered financial irregularities amounting to Rs 1,000 crore, intensifying scrutiny on the DMK’s administration.
Speaking out on the issue, Vijay demanded a fair and thorough investigation into what he described as a meticulously planned scam.
“These charges could be interpreted as those who have much knowledge and experience in committing frauds would only be able to perpetrate such a large-scale scam,” he said, hinting at a deeper nexus of corruption. He suggested that a comprehensive probe would implicate a wide range of figures, from minor players to major powerbrokers, within the system. \
Vijay’s sharp critique aligns with reports that the ED found evidence of tender manipulation, overpricing of liquor by Rs 10-30 per bottle, and kickbacks funneled through distillery firms like SNJ, Kals, and Accord—schemes allegedly generating unaccounted cash for insiders.
The TVK leader, leveraging his growing political clout, framed the TASMAC scandal as emblematic of the DMK’s governance failures. This follows his earlier condemnation of the party’s recent budget as “politically motivated” and his broader campaign against its policies on issues like women’s safety and resource mismanagement.
Vijay’s rhetoric has struck a chord, sparking a social media frenzy with hashtags and posts decrying the DMK and calling for transparency. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai echoed Vijay’s sentiments, alleging the DMK amassed Rs 1,000 crore for its 2026 election war chest, further amplifying the controversy.
In response, Excise Minister Senthil Balaji dismissed the ED’s findings as baseless and politically motivated, asserting TASMAC’s operations are above board. However, with Vijay’s star power and the ED’s damning revelations, the scandal has bolstered TVK’s anti-corruption narrative, setting the stage for a heated political showdown as Tamil Nadu gears up for the 2026 elections.