Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay has appointed his long-time personal astrologer, Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, as the political Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the CM. An official government order issued Tuesday confirmed the appointment, effective from the date of joining.
Radhan Pandit is a prominent Vedic astrologer and numerologist, with no prior administrative experience, similar to most leaders from the TVK, including the CM. He has more than four decades of experience as an astrologer and has been a close adviser to Vijay for several years. His post-poll appearance at Vijay’s residence earlier caught the eyes of the public.
Radhan Pandit has guided the actor-turned-politician at several crucial junctures in his political journey. In 2024 and early 2025, he publicly analysed Vijay’s horoscope in videos and interviews, predicting a strong rise for the newly formed Tamizhaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
He earlier also described Vijay’s astrological chart as having “tsunami-like strength” and noted that the party name aligned powerfully with Vijay’s numerological profile. Besides, he forecasted that it would challenge and eventually disrupt the dominance of traditional Dravidian parties.
Party insiders have confirmed that Vijay has taken his advice to plan the timing of key events, such as the party launch, swearing-in ceremony, and other party events, to secure a more auspicious muhurat.
Radhan Pandit is widely credited by supporters with providing guidance at every major step of Vijay’s political ascent and contributing to TVK’s astounding performance in the 2026 assembly elections.
Originally from Tamil Nadu, he relocated to Delhi in 2008 and adopted the name Radhan Pandit. He has claimed a high success rate in his consultations, which cover Vedic astrology, numerology, and meditation techniques. Before his association with Vijay, he had been a consultant to former AIADMK Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Radhan Pandit was Jayalalithaa’s adviser around 1989-1990 and accurately predicted her 1991 electoral success. He reportedly guided her through several challenging periods, including warnings about the 1996 elections, court cases, the selection of party candidates, and business decisions, such as the naming of Jaya TV. He also advised numerological name adjustments to Jayalalithaa’s name, such as adding another ‘a’. He has maintained connections with her close aide Sasikala and figures such as T.T.V. Dhinakaran.
Beyond Jayalalithaa, Radhan Pandit has advised senior political leaders across multiple parties, including the BJP, Congress, DMK, and AIADMK. He has claimed to be a close adviser to BJP leader L.K. Advani and to be consulted by corporate leaders, government officials, celebrities, ministers, governors, and even individuals linked to the Prime Minister’s Office.
His appointment has triggered mixed reactions in Tamil Nadu, with critics questioning the formal inclusion of an astrologer in a government role in a state known for its rationalist traditions.
The exact roles and responsibilities of Radhan Pandit in the Chief Minister’s Office are expected to be explained in the coming days.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)