Tamil Nadu CM Vijay appoints personal astrologer as 'Officer on Special Duty' in CMO

Vettrivel, who describes himself as a political and celebrity astrologer, claimed to have also advised late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and BJP leader LK Advani.

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay appointed his personal astrologer, Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, as the Officer on Special Duty (Political) in the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), triggering a row with alliance partners objecting to the move.

Vettrivel was appointed to the post a day before Vijay seeks a floor test in the Tamil Nadu Assembly to prove his majority. Radhan is Vijay’s astrologer and spiritual advisor and had also predicted the Chief Minister’s victory way back in January.

Radhan, who describes himself as a political and celebrity astrologer, claimed to have also advised late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and BJP leader LK Advani.

The appointment led to condemnation from alliance partners, including Congress and VCK, who said there was no room for an astrologer in a secular government that should focus on scientific temper.