The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) has expelled one of its senior district-level leaders following a video showing him accepting Rs 1.3 lakh from a government contractor. It was taken into account as one of the chief minister C. Joseph Vijay publicly announced the government would take a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and bribery.
The party announced yesterday that Veera Veerasamy, who was the Chengalpattu East District Joint Secretary, has been removed from his party and primary membership. TVK said the disciplinary action was taken because his conduct had brought disrepute to the party.
I hereby inform that Veera Veerasamy, who was serving as the Chengalpattu East District Joint Secretary, is being removed from the party's basic membership and responsibilities from today due to his conduct that brought disrepute to the Tamil Nadu Victory Party,” the party said in its order.
Viral Video Triggers Political Storm
The controversy erupted after a video of Veera allegedly accepting Rs 1.3 lakh in cash from a government contractor circulated on social media. It went viral on social media and was widely criticized by opposition parties, in particular BJP.
BJP leader Vinoj P. Selvam posted a video on social media platform X that he said exposed the “true face” of the ruling party. Citing Chief Minister Vijay’s repeated promises of clean governance, Selvam accused the party of failing to deliver on its anti-corruption promises.
He also mocked recent claims that a new government needs time to learn administration, saying it apparently did not take long to learn corruption.
தவெக செங்கல்பட்டு கிழக்கு மாவட்ட இணை செயலாளர் வீரா என்ற நபர், அரசு ஒப்பந்ததாரரிடம் ரூ.1.30 லட்சம் லஞ்சம் வாங்கியதாக வெளிவந்துள்ள வீடியோ, தவெக-வின் உண்மை முகத்தை அம்பலப்படுத்துவதாக அமைந்துள்ளது.
— Vinoj P Selvam (@VinojBJP) July 14, 2026
மக்கள் பணத்தை தொடவிட மாட்டோம், என்று தூய சக்தி உரிமையாளர் திரு. @TVKVijayHQ அவர்கள்… pic.twitter.com/sT1JvQGjeC
The viral video soon became a major talking point in Tamil Nadu politics, and opposition leaders demanded government accountability.
Veera Veerasamy Rejects Bribery Charges
Veera Veerasamy has denied all allegations against him, claiming that the money seen in the video was not a bribe but repayment of a personal loan.
In an exclusive chat with Times Now, he said the person depicted in the video had borrowed Rs 1.5 lakh from him around 25 days earlier for personal reasons.
Veera said repayment was made partly through digital transactions and partly in cash.
"He borrowed Rs 1.5 lakh from me 25 days back for some personal reason. That’s what was paid back to me. He transferred Rs 50,000 twice through Google Pay and handed over Rs 30,000 in cash," he said.
Veera alleged that the controversy was being deliberately created by the DMK to tarnish his image and that of Chief Minister Vijay.
"A fake narrative is being created around me by the DMK to defame me, the TVK government and Chief Minister Vijay. I completely reject these allegations," he said.
Vijay's Anti-Corruption Stand
The incident occurred just days after Chief Minister Joseph Vijay made a strong statement on corruption in a public rally in Karur.
Vijay urged citizens not to pay bribes under any circumstances and promised to stand by those who resisted corruption.
"When someone asks you for a bribe, tell them directly that you won’t give it. I’ll be with you. Even after that, if someone forces you, tell them, 'Our son, our brother, our Vijay is the one ruling this state,'" he had said, receiving loud applause from the audience.
He also said no one involved in corruption, taking bribes, or using official power would continue to do so under his administration.
The remarks were widely seen as an attempt to reinforce the government's commitment to transparency and accountability.
Political Impact
Veera Veerasamy’s swift disciplinary action indicates that the ruling TVK is trying to present a very strong anti-corruption image, especially given the Chief Minister’s public statements on the subject. But the issue is not going away soon: opposition parties will continue to question the government's credibility and Veera will say he has been falsely implicated.
To what extent the viral video may turn out to be evidence of corruption or a false financial transaction of his own will be a matter of future investigation. For now, the episode has added to the political tension in Tamil Nadu, where allegations of corruption continue to be the central issue of discussion.
