Astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel was supposed to be appointed as an Officer on Special Duty by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay, but his government quickly pulled the plan, causing a lot of political embarrassment. Opposition parties, friends and political watchers were highly critical of the decision to appoint a key government job to someone best known for astrology. This led to the immediate change of heart.
The controversy erupted immediately after the state government issued an official order appointing Rickey Radhan Pandit to the Chief Minister’s office. People thought that Pandit was close to Vijay and had been involved in the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam campaign. CM Vijay believed Pandit.
But the choice immediately turned into a political hot potato. Some people said that leadership shouldn’t be based on horoscopes or personal views, but on the abilities and knowledge of those in charge. Within a few hours, opposition leaders began criticising the move, saying it wasn’t appropriate for a modern democratic government.
The opposition and its allies launch strong attacks
The opposition to the decision grew immediately across all major parties. The opposition parties made fun of the government and questioned how serious it was. Reports say that even some friends were unhappy with the choice.
Many politicians spoke out against the move, saying that such choices could hurt the government’s image. Political opponents said that the government was mixing religion and politics with symbols and superstitions.
People are criticising Vijay’s government more as it is still new and closely watched by the public. Analysts said the problem could cast a shadow over the government’s policy goals and priorities.
Read also: Tamil Nadu CM Vijay’s Big Moves on Day 1 in Office
The meeting with the government was cancelled in less than a day
As the pressure mounted, the Tamil Nadu government immediately took back the hiring order. A new notice was sent out saying that the order that had made Rickey Radhan Pandit an Officer on Special Duty was no longer valid.
The swiftness of the change showed how strong the opposition was and hinted that the government wanted to keep the issue under control before it got worse. As of now, this is one of the first big political problems Vijay has had to deal with since becoming Chief Minister.
Political experts think that the fast cancellation was done to keep the government from getting even more embarrassed and to protect its image as much as possible. Still, the issue has already caused talks within the government about how to make decisions.
Many critics said that the government should have known how people would respond before announcing the decision. Others said the event showed how inexperienced the new government was.
What does Rickey Radhan Pandit do
On Tuesday, Rickey Radhan Vettrivel was named Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister. However, he was fired the next day because of reaction.
Vettrivel was born in Erode and makes a living by studying astrology. He has been practicing Vedic astrology, meditation-based therapy, and numerology for more than forty years and is said to have given advice to many famous people, including former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Before the Tamil Nadu elections, he is said to have said that Vijay would win by a tsunami. In fact, the event to swear in the new chief minister was supposed to happen on May 10 at 3:45 pm, but it was moved to 10 am after Vettrivel suggested it.
Read also: From Reel Hero to Real Power – Vijay Takes Charge as Tamil Nadu’s New CM
Vijay does well on the floor test
The TVK had 120 MLAs in the House with the help of its partners. 22 MLAs voted against the TVK, and 5 did not vote at all. But the DMK called for a walkout, which weakened the House while the vote was underway. The number of MLAs who voted for Vijay shows that some AIADMK rebels didn’t follow the party line and voted against it.
The TVK won the floor test because Congress, CPI, CPI and VCK MLAs backed the party. The Indian Union Muslim League, which has two MLAs, has also backed the TVK government. Kamaraj, an expelled Amma Makkal Munnettra Kazagam MLA, has also backed TVK in the Assembly.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that all 47 MLAs would vote against the TVK, and there was a fight between the AIADMK and the ADMK in the Assembly. SP Velumani, a former minister and party MLA, also spoke in the Assembly, but Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s fans spoke out against him.
The quick cancellation may have helped limit the political damage in the short term, but the event has already raised major concerns about how decisions are made and who has power in the Chief Minister’s office.
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