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Less than 24 hours after appointing his personal astrologer to a government post, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has been forced into an awkward U-turn. On Wednesday, May 13, Vijay revoked the appointment of astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty (Political) in the Chief Minister’s department after backlash from alliance partners, opposition parties, and progressive organisations.
The now-withdrawn order, issued on May 12, had named Vettrivel — widely known as Vijay’s personal astrologer and spiritual advisor — as Officer on Special Duty. The appointment immediately triggered criticism across the political spectrum, with rivals and even allies questioning the propriety of appointing an astrologer to an official government position.
The controversy snowballed quickly enough for Vijay to walk back the decision within a day.
Vettrivel, who describes himself as a “political and celebrity astrologer”, had publicly predicted that Vijay’s Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) would win 180 Assembly seats before later revising the figure to “150+”. TVK eventually secured 108 seats and formed the government with alliance support.
The appointment also prompted comparisons on social media with former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who was known for consulting astrologers and attaching importance to numerology and auspicious timings in political decision-making. Vettrivel’s website reportedly claims that he advised Jayalalithaa on legal strategies in the 1990s and suggested adding a second “a” to her name.
A government order issued by the public department had stated that the terms and conditions of Vettrivel’s appointment would be issued separately.
The issue spilled into the Assembly during the confidence motion debate on May 13. Desiya Murpokku Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMDK) general secretary Premallatha Vijayakant criticised the appointment, as did Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MLA M Thamimun Ansari. Ansari said that while he respected individual religious beliefs, appointing an astrologer to an official government role went against the principles of scientific temper and secular governance.
Responding to concerns raised by alliance partners and MLAs during the debate, Vijay assured the House that his administration would remain secular. He said the government respected the opinions expressed by members and would “rethink” decisions that had attracted criticism.
Earlier in the day, political parties and organisations had strongly condemned the appointment. P Shanmugam, state secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], said appointing an astrologer to an official post at public expense was inappropriate and could encourage superstitious beliefs among the people.
The CPI also criticised the move, saying it was surprising given TVK’s stated emphasis on secularism and social justice. Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram made a cryptic comparison on social media, likening the move to Roman emperor Caligula appointing his horse as consul.
The Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association also urged Vijay to revoke the appointment, arguing that granting a government post to an astrologer “makes a mockery of the Constitution.”
However, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan defended the appointment, saying Vettrivel could have been chosen in his capacity as a party spokesperson. He added that “those with beliefs in astrology do not necessarily also comply with communal politics.”
