Unprecedented episodes of constitutional bickering unfolded in Karnataka's Legislative Assembly today when Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot staged a walkout just minutes into the inaugural joint session of the year. When the Assembly met, the Governor refused to give the usual address the Congress-led government had prepared; he read the first two lines of it and left the House, as protests from the treasury benches erupted.
The heart of the dispute: ‘G RAM G’ vs. MGNREGA
That standoff is based on 11 specific paragraphs in a speech prepared by the Siddaramaiah Cabinet. These sections included scathing remarks criticizing the Union Government’s recent decision to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and replace it with the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) commonly referred to as the VB-G RAM G Act.
Governor Gehlot had reportedly expressed strong reservations Wednesday evening, calling the criticism of the Central act "government propaganda" and "inaccurate." Despite a late-night meeting with Law Minister H.K. Patil, the state government had refused to drop the critical paragraphs, which resulted in today’s dramatic departure. Walkout and Two-Line Address. As the session began at 11:00 AM, the Governor stood and delivered only these words:
“I welcome you all to the joint session of the legislature. I am happy to address one more joint session of the Karnataka legislature. My government is fully committed to double the speed of economic, social, and physical development of the state. Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka."
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot walks out of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly; Congress leader BK Hariprasad seen trying to stop the Governor pic.twitter.com/QZjWSlZJgx
— ANI (@ANI) January 22, 2026
Soon after, he set the folder down and left the Assembly. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took issue, deeming the move an “insult to the House of Representatives” and a breach of Article 176 of the Constitution, which requires the Governor to address the first session of the year.
A Growing Pattern of Friction
The Karnataka episode reflects a similar so-called “Governor vs. State” dynamic that can be seen across non-BJP-ruled states. Just 48 hours earlier, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar also skipped portions of their addresses that were highly critical of the Union Government.
In Karnataka, this tension is compounded by the state’s intention to pass a formal resolution against the G RAM G Act, which it says has concentrated power in Delhi and robbed local panchayats of their autonomy.
Legal Showdown Imminent
After the walkout, the Karnataka Cabinet called an emergency meeting. Sources say the state government was preparing a move to approach the Supreme Court seeking clarity on the Governor’s constitutional duty to read the speech as it was approved by the Cabinet without any changes. Opposition leader R. Ashoka defended the Governor, saying that the Raj Bhavan cannot be used as a mouthpiece for the ruling party's political campaign. The legislative proceedings look set to remain stormy throughout this period until January 31.
