BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, the party’s women’s wing national chief, Vanathi Srinivasan, and senior state leader H. Raja were among party leaders who were detained here on Monday by the police ahead of their protest against the alleged irregularities in state-run liquor retailer Tasmac.

The party had announced a picketing protest at the Tasmac headquarters here over the alleged ₹1,000 crore irregularities, as claimed by the Enforcement Directorate recently.

The BJP found support from the most unexpected corner, with its strident critic and DMK ally Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) welcoming the protest.

Annamalai lashed out at the ruling DMK and its party president and chief minister M.K. Stalin over the “drama” of using the Tamil alphabet “roo” as the symbol for the rupee instead of the official ₹ in a promotional logo for the state budget. The BJP leader said this was an attempt to divert attention from the recent ED raids at Tasmac and other entities.

Annamalai, clad in a black shirt, was detained near his house along with his supporters. In a social media post, the state BJP chief alleged that senior party leaders, including former state unit president and ex-governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan, had been placed under house arrest by the police.

Senior BJP leaders H. Raja, Pon Radhakrishnan, Mahila Morcha chief and Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, MLAs C. Saraswathi, M.R. Gandhi and Nainar Nagenthran were among those detained.