Sources said, Trinamool Congress MP and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee's name was considered for the general council, but in his place, the "internationally reputed" astrologer was appointed.
Astrologer Nimai Banerjee has written books in Bengali, English and Odia on astrology. He edits an Odiya periodical "Bhagyalipi" and another enlgish periodical "Planets & Forecast".
Apart from predicting Mamata's ascendancy to power, he had also predicted Indira Gandhi's death, army coup in Pakistan and the Odisha supercyclone.
According to his CV sent to the NUJS before appointment, the astrologer secured a Doctor of Philosophy and Professor Emeritus from the Mumbai campus of East-West University of Holistic Sciences, USA.
