A meeting of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam’s MLA from Kavundampalayam Kanimozhi Santhosh with Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation officials held in her astrology consultancy office on Monday has drawn widespread criticism.

Ms. Kanimozhi, who claims to have an honorary doctorate in astrology, told The Hindu the Corporation officials visited her voluntarily and she did not ask them to visit her.

Photos of the meeting posted by the MLA on X showed her seated on a designer sofa resembling a throne and six officials on chairs. Several users criticised the way the meeting was held at a private place and separate seating arrangements for the elected representative and the government officials.

“Approach the public and hear their grievances firsthand. Then, meet the officials of the respective departments,” a user commented.  

The 37-year-old MLA, who is also into tiles and granite business, clarified in a video posted on X on Tuesday that the meeting was not held at her residence as criticised by many but at her office for astrology consultations. Works of the MLA office were underway, she stated.

Though Ms. Kanimozhi is heard stating in the same video that she had the officials come to her office, she denied it to The Hindu that they visited her voluntarily.

Though Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabhakaran confirmed all the officials seen in the photo with Ms. Kanimozhi belong to the civic body, he did not comment whether it was necessary for them to have a meeting with the MLA at her astrology office.

Former legislator from Singanallur N. Karthik said that an MLA could ideally have meetings with government officials, if needed, at any of the government or civic body offices rather than in private places, except in emergency situations like a natural calamity or disaster for swift coordination.