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Trust vote ahead, signs of cracks in Vijay's TN alliance over astrologer as OSD. But he's got ‘rebels’ as lifeline
Astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel's appointment as Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the CM sparked reactions from allies Congress, VCK and Left.
Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay is barely a couple of days in office, but his government is already showing signs of some strain. A controversial appointment, reactions from coalition partners, and a fractured opposition party are together shaping the early political landscape of the new chapter for the actor-turned-politician.
He faces a trust vote in the assembly on Wednesday, May 13, but the disagreement has not yet blown up to a dangerous levels for his nascent government. He may now have some backup anyway.
Appointment that sparked a row
On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu government issued an order appointing astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the Chief Minister. The move was not entirely surprising to those who have followed Vijay's political rise closely.
Vettrivel, who also serves as a spokesperson for Vijay's party Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), has been practising astrology for nearly four decades. He is widely believed to have been a key adviser to Vijay through his political journey.
He had publicly predicted a TVK victory well before votes were counted, and was among the first to reach Vijay's residence when results confirmed his party's stunning electoral debut on May 4.
His influence appears to extend to matters of timing as well. Vijay's swearing-in ceremony, originally scheduled for 3:45 pm on May 10, was moved forward to 10 in the morning, reportedly on Vettrivel's recommendation of a more auspicious time. Vijay has not spoken to the media, nor has his party spoken on the issue.
Coalition partners push back
The sharpest criticism came not from the opposition, but from within Vijay's own coalition. Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil posted on X asking why an astrologer would require an OSD position at all. VCK General Secretary D Ravikumar called the appointment "unacceptable in a secular government", and urged the CM to reconsider.
CPM central committee member Shanmugam P went further, arguing that appointing an astrologer as a political adviser at government expense would only serve to increase public faith in astrology — something he said was against the Constitution that calls for a scientific temper.
However, later in the day, continuing with his thanksgiving and courtesy outreach, Vijay met leaders of the allies IUML, VCK and Congress.
The criticism over matters of rationality-vs-astrology carries particular weight as major parties such as the DMK have historically taken a firm stand against superstitions.
Vijay's TVK won 108 seats in the 234-member assembly, short of the 118 needed for a majority. His government came into being because the Indian National Congress, the VCK, the CPI and the CPM chose to back him, as did the IUML.
Rebel lifeline from AIADMK
Even as Vijay manages friction from his allies, a potential new source of support is emerging from an unexpected direction — the opposition benches.
The AIADMK, once the dominant force in Tamil Nadu politics alongside the DMK, had a bruising election. The party won only 47 of the 164 seats it contested, ending up in third place behind TVK and DMK.
The defeat has since triggered a visible internal crisis.
Senior leaders SP Velumani and C Ve Shanmugam have broken with party chief Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS), alleging that he had been open to supporting a DMK-AIADMK government in order to keep TVK out of power. That, they said, went against the party's core principles.
Shanmugam has claimed that around 30 AIADMK MLAs now back Vijay's government.
On Tuesday, Vijay visited Shanmugam's Chennai residence, where some from the rebel faction formally extended their support. Shanmugam framed the move in nostalgic terms, invoking the legacy of Jayalalithaa and saying the party needed “a new life”.
AIADMK's official response, under EPS's control, termed the rebels “liars”, and accused them of chasing ministerial posts in the TVK cabinet. The EPS camp claimed that the party cadre remained firmly behind the General Secretary. Voting against party whip can endanger the future of rebel AIADMK MLAs under the anti-defection law.
