Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Joseph Vijay has formally integrated his long-time astrologer-advisor and TVK spokesperson, Ricky Rathan Pandit Vettrivel, into the state administration.
A government order released on Monday confirmed Vettrivel's appointment to a formal role within the Chief Minister's office.
New official role for astrologer
Ricky Rathan Pandit has been designated as the "Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the Chief Minister". The appointment is effective immediately, moving the advisor from a private capacity into an official government position. Pandit, who has practised astrology and numerology for over 40 years, is a familiar face in both political and cinematic circles.
Predicting the political tsunami
The advisor's influence grew remarkably following his accurate predictions regarding Vijay's entry into politics and subsequent electoral success. In social media clips that have gone viral, Pandit described Vijay's celestial charts as a "tsunami horoscope", signaling an inevitable and powerful political ascent.
Past ties and public appearances
The relationship between the Chief Minister and Pandit has been highly visible to the public. Recently, the two were seen travelling together in Vijay's private vehicle during a high-profile visit to the Tiruchendur Murugan Temple.
Notably, reports suggest that Pandit has a history of advising the state's top leadership, having previously served as an astrological consultant to the late former chief minister J Jayalalithaa.
Understanding the OSD role
An Officer on Special Duty (OSD) is a specific administrative post within the Indian government structure. It is a flexible position often used to bring in experts or trusted advisors for specialised tasks. While many OSDs are career bureaucrats, the government has the authority to appoint external individuals to these roles to provide direct assistance to a Minister or Chief Minister on sensitive or strategic matters.