India, May 12 -- Tamil Nadu chief minister C Joseph Vijay is barely a couple of days in office, but his government is already showing signs of some strain. A controversial appointment, reactions from coalition partners, and a fractured opposition party are together shaping the early political landscape of the new chapter for the actor-turned-politician.

He faces a trust vote in the assembly on Wednesday, May 13, but the disagreement has not yet blown up to a dangerous levels for his nascent government. He may now have some backup anyway.

On Tuesday, the Tamil Nadu government issued an order appointing astrologer Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the Chief Minister. The move was not entirely surpris...