It’s Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and if you thought the drama in Chennai was settling down, today’s Assembly session just proved otherwise.1 The “familiar foes”—Governor RN Ravi and Chief Minister MK Stalin—started the first session of the year with a bang. Or nothing. Let’s be real, it was less of a bang and more of a slamming door as the Governor walked out before even starting his speech.
The thing is, we’ve seen this movie before, but with the April-May 2026 Assembly elections just three months away, the stakes are way higher. Those too.
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The “Anthem” Standoff: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where the protocol for a “100-year-old House” is being treated like a battlefield.
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The Walkout: At 9:30 AM, after the state anthem (Tamil Thai Valthu) was played, Governor Ravi didn’t head to the mic to read.2 Instead, he declared the National Anthem had been “insulted” because it wasn’t played at the start. The thing is, the Assembly tradition is to play the State Anthem at the start and the National Anthem at the end.3 Or nothing.
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The “Muted” Mic: Lok Bhavan (formerly Raj Bhavan) didn’t hold back.4 They claim the Governor’s mic was “repeatedly switched off” to stop him from deviating from the government’s script. And here’s the kicker—they called the prepared speech a “constitutional travesty” full of misleading claims.5
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The Investment Row: One big point of friction? The speech claimed Tamil Nadu secured ₹12 lakh crore in investments. The Governor’s office says that’s “far from the truth” and that the state is dropping in FDI rankings. Those too.
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The “Bearded Goat” Quote: Stalin didn’t miss a beat. He doubled down by quoting DMK founder CN Annadurai’s famous line: “Why does a goat need a beard… and why does a state need a Governor?” The thing is, the House then passed a resolution to record the speech as “read” anyway, basically ignoring the Governor’s exit.
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TN Assembly Clash: The Breakdown (Jan 20, 2026)
| Metric / Event | The “Ground Reality” | The Friction Point |
| Start Time | 9:30 AM, Jan 20 | State Anthem played first. |
| Governor’s Action | Walkout | Refused to read “misleading” text. |
| Raj Bhavan Claim | “Mic was muted” | Denied by the Speaker. |
| DMK Resolution | Unanimously Passed | Records speech as “delivered.” |
| Election Context | 3 Months to Polls | BJP-DMK rivalry peaking. |
| Opposition (AIADMK) | Separate Walkout | Cited “law and order” failures. |
And Here’s the Kicker…
It’s not just about anthems. The thing is, the Governor’s office specifically called out the “bypassing” of issues like atrocities against Dalits and rampant drug abuse in the government-prepared text.6 Or nothing. While the DMK is painting this as a “defense of state autonomy,” the opposition is using the Governor’s critique as fuel for their election campaign. Those too.
One side comment—the name change of the Governor’s residence to “Lok Bhavan” is still a point of confusion for many, but the friction remains as old as time. It’s an ongoing situation where the Supreme Court might end up being the referee again.
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End…
