Chennai: The Tamil Nadu liquor scam controversy is heating up, with the BJP launching a strong attack on state minister V Senthil Balaji. Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai called Balaji the “kingpin” behind multiple scams, accusing him of corruption worth thousands of crores in the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC).
Speaking to the media, Annamalai questioned whether Balaji had the moral right to continue as a minister, especially after the Supreme Court had raised concerns. He also accused Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin of reinstating Balaji in his ministerial role immediately after his release from jail.
“This scam is even bigger than those in Delhi and Chhattisgarh,” Annamalai alleged, referring to previous liquor-related corruption cases in other states.
Enforcement Directorate Raids and Minister’s Response
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently conducted raids on TASMAC offices and liquor suppliers, claiming to have uncovered evidence of a ₹1,000 crore scam. However, Senthil Balaji has strongly denied these allegations, stating that the government will fight the case legally.
“ED is making baseless claims without any proof,” Balaji said. “All purchases in TASMAC are done transparently, and there is no scope for corruption.” He also emphasized that no new policies had been introduced in TASMAC under the DMK government.
AIADMK Joins the Attack
The opposition AIADMK has also seized on the controversy, with party leader Edappadi K Palaniswami suggesting that the corruption in TASMAC could be as high as ₹40,000 crore. AIADMK MLAs staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly during the budget session, demanding the resignation of the MK Stalin-led government.
BJP Accuses DMK of Diversion Tactics
Annamalai further alleged that CM MK Stalin was trying to shift public attention away from the scam by stirring debates on unrelated issues, such as the three-language policy. He accused the DMK of exploiting the TASMAC system for illegal financial gains, claiming that unaccounted cash from liquor sales was being used as party funds.
With the ED continuing its investigation and political tensions rising, the controversy surrounding TASMAC is expected to be a major issue in Tamil Nadu politics in the coming days.
