Published Jul 05, 2026 | 8:00 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 05, 2026 | 8:00 AM
Vijay seen taking oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 10 May 2026. (File Image)
Synopsis: With both the DMK and BJP questioning the role of two individuals said to be close to Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, the absence of any publicly available appointment order has fuelled speculation over whether they hold any official position in the government.
Although Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) scripted history by emerging as the single largest party in Tamil Nadu after nearly six decades of Dravidian rule, political controversies within the first 50 days of the new government have begun to overshadow that electoral victory.
At the centre of the latest controversy are two individuals: Jhon Arokiasamy, described as Vijay’s political advisor, and Vishnu Reddy, another close aide to the Chief Minister. Opposition parties have alleged that despite holding no publicly known government position, the two have been participating in key government meetings and influencing administrative decisions.
On July 3, Vishnu Reddy was seen attending a government consultation meeting at the Secretariat. The meeting, chaired by Natural Resources Minister TK Prabhu, discussed the proposed mining of atomic minerals in Kanniyakumari. Photos shared by Minister Prabhu on his official social media account show Vishnu Reddy attending the meeting alongside Finance Minister N Maria Wilson, Fisheries and Fishermen Welfare Minister Srinath, Natural Resources Department Principal Secretary Suntsongam Jatak Chiru, IAS, and Kulachal MLA Tarakai Kathbat.
The issue of the duo attending government meetings, initially raised by the DMK, has now also been taken up by the BJP, intensifying pressure on the government to clarify the duo’s official status.
A BJP delegation led by state president Nainar Nagendran met Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar at the Raj Bhavan on Friday and submitted two separate petitions.
While one petition sought action against Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan over allegations of inappropriate conduct during a marathon event in Madurai, the second focused on Jhon Arokiasamy and Vishnu Reddy.
In the representation, the BJP alleged that the two individuals, who do not hold any publicly known official government position, were present during the Tamil Nadu Cabinet meeting held on June 5.
The party argued that if private individuals without formal government appointments participated in Cabinet meetings, it would be contrary to constitutional principles and established administrative procedures. It urged the Governor to order an inquiry into the allegations and take appropriate action.
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The BJP’s complaint comes just days after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) approached the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police with similar allegations.
On June 30, DMK Organisation Secretary RS Bharathi submitted a complaint seeking criminal action under the Official Secrets Act, 1923, over the alleged leakage of confidential government information.
Bharathi alleged that confidential details relating to Cabinet meetings, departmental review meetings and other sensitive government consultations held under Chief Minister Vijay were being accessed by private individuals who were not authorised to participate in such proceedings.
According to Bharathi’s complaint, too, Jhon Arokiasamy and Vishnu Reddy had allegedly been participating in Cabinet meetings and other confidential government discussions despite not being authorised government officials.
The complaint further alleged that both individuals, reportedly from Andhra Pradesh, had been provided rooms adjacent to the Chief Minister’s office inside the Secretariat and were regularly participating in high-level consultations.
Bharathi argued that Cabinet deliberations are protected by constitutional conventions and government business rules, and allowing unauthorised individuals access to confidential discussions could amount to violations under the Official Secrets Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
He urged the police to register an FIR, examine Secretariat visitor registers, CCTV footage, office allocation records, digital communications and file movement registers, and initiate criminal proceedings if any violation was established.
Also Read: Vijay’s June 23 Assembly speech: When performance trumped governance
When South First contacted a Cabinet minister from the TVK government regarding the allegations, the minister said he was unaware of the duo’s official status.
“I did not see either of them during the first Cabinet meeting that I attended. I am not sure whether they have officially been given any position. I only know what has already appeared in the news,” the minister said.
Sources within the Secretariat, however, acknowledged that both individuals are closely associated with the Chief Minister.
“They are close to the Chief Minister and regularly work with him. Whenever they come to the Secretariat, they use cabins located near the Chief Minister’s Office. We have also heard that when people approach the Chief Minister with requests, they are often asked to meet Vishnu Reddy,” a source familiar with the development told South First.
Despite the growing controversy, no official Government Order (GO), appointment notification or public document has been released specifying the official position, powers or responsibilities, if any, held by Jhon Arokiasamy and Vishnu Reddy.
Notably, even as opposition parties continue to raise questions, the government has not publicly clarified whether the two hold any formal appointment.
The issue has also renewed attention to the government’s handling of several earlier political appointments.
Questions over transparency are not entirely new for the TVK government.
Earlier, the appointment of Jagadish Palanisamy, a film producer and close associate of Chief Minister Vijay, as the Chief Minister’s Private Secretary also became controversial because the Government Order was issued much later than the date of his appointment.
Although the appointment order stated that Jagadish had assumed office on May 12, the appointment became publicly known only after he identified himself as the Chief Minister’s Private Secretary in a birthday greeting posted for Vijay on May 22. The Government Order was subsequently released.
Similarly, the appointment of film producer Venkat K Narayana, chairman of KVN Productions, as the Tamil Nadu government’s Special Representative in New Delhi was also formalised through a Government Order that was released only after considerable delay, drawing criticism.
Earlier still, the TVK government had appointed Vijay’s personal astrologer as political advisor to the Chief Minister, but withdrew the appointment order following widespread public criticism.
Against this backdrop, the latest controversy involving Jhon Arokiasamy and Vishnu Reddy has once again raised questions about transparency in political appointments and whether individuals exercising influence within the government hold formally notified positions.
