The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu state assembly on Friday during the presentation of the 2025-26 Budget by Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu. The protest was joined by legislators from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), as tensions escalated over the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the state-run Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC).
Leader of the Opposition and AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami criticized Speaker M. Appavu for denying permission to raise the matter in the House. Speaking to the media outside the assembly, Palaniswami asserted, "The ED has indicated that corruption within TASMAC exceeds ₹1,000 crore, with further investigations suggesting potential financial misconduct amounting to over ₹40,000 crore." He further demanded the resignation of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government, citing inaction despite the ED raids.
Enforcement Directorate Raids TASMAC
A day prior to the Budget presentation, the ED conducted extensive searches across Tamil Nadu as part of its money laundering probe into TASMAC’s operations. According to official sources, the investigation has also placed state minister Senthil Balaji under scrutiny, with searches extending to TASMAC offices, distillery plants, corporate entities, and associates linked to Balaji.
BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai strongly condemned the DMK government, attributing the probe to large-scale corruption within the state’s liquor distribution system. In a social media post, he stated, "The ED has uncovered documents exposing unaccounted cash transactions exceeding ₹1,000 crore, allegedly paid as kickbacks. The DMK has exploited the common people to enrich its party coffers by manipulating the system. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin must answer to the public regarding the recipients of these illicit funds. He should also reflect on whether he retains the moral right to continue in office."
With the ED investigation intensifying, political tensions in Tamil Nadu are expected to rise, further fueling the debate over corruption allegations within the state’s liquor trade.
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