Tamil Nadu: CM Vijay removes astrologer as his aide after appointment row

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay on Wednesday removed astrologer Rickey Rathan Pandit Vettrivel as an officer on special duty amid criticism about the appointment, The Indian Express reported.

This came hours after a plea had been filed in the Madras High Court challenging Vettrivel’s appointment, Live Law reported. The matter was mentioned by a lawyer for urgent listing before a vacation bench of Justices Victoria Gowri and N Senthilkumar.

The matter was expected to be heard on Thursday, the legal news outlet reported.

The petitioner had sought a writ of quo warranto questioning the authority under which Vettrivel holds the post, Bar and Bench reported. A quo warranto petition requires a person holding a public office to show the legal basis of their appointment.

The plea challenged a government order issued on Tuesday appointing Vettrivel as officer on special duty (political).

The petitioner argued that the appointment had been made without a recruitment process, inviting applications, framing service rules and issuing a public notification, Bar and Bench reported.

Vettrivel had reportedly predicted that the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam would emerge as a major political force, and that Vijay would win the Assembly elections and become the chief minister.

Vijay’s TVK wins floor test

The TVK won the floor test in the Assembly on Wednesday as 144 MLAs in the 234-member House voted in favour of the confidence motion moved by the Vijay-led government, The Hindu reported. The majority mark is 118.

While 22 MLAs voted against the motion, five abstained.

The motion was backed by 105 MLAs from TVK, five from the Congress, and two each from the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Indian Union Muslim League.

Twenty-five MLAs from a rebel faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by SP Velumani and an independent MLA also voted in favour of the TVK-led coalition government.

While the AIADMK faction led by Edappadi K Palaniswami opposed the motion, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Pattali Makkal Katchi abstained.

Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin led a walkout by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MLAs after criticising the government during a debate that preceded the vote, The Hindu reported.

Stalin questioned Vijay’s meeting with rebel AIADMK MLAs and asked whether it represented “change” or “exchange”.

On May 4, Vijay’s TVK emerged as the single-largest party on its electoral debut, winning 108 seats.

However, it fell short of the majority mark and required the support of smaller parties to form the government. Vijay took oath as chief minister on Sunday and was directed by Governor Rajendra Arlekar to procedurally seek a vote of confidence in the Assembly by Wednesday.

Edited by Nachiket Deuskar