Grassroots Congress cadre says Darshan’s suspension is a slap in the face for Banjara community

The top brass of the Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (KPYCC) suspended Darshan Kumar R from the post of Haveri district president on Thursday (November 5, 2026).

Bengaluru

The suspension of Darshan Kumar R, aka Darshan Rudrappa Lamani, from the post of Haveri Youth Congress president has sparked anger among grassroots Congress workers in the Haveri district in Karnataka. The workers say that “the development is a slap in the face of the entire Banjara or Lambani community in the state.”

The suspension order, signed by KPYCC President Manjunath H S, cited Darshan’s absence from the event organised in Delhi against the SIR (Special Intensive Revision). The order was also signed by Tarique Bagwan, National Secretary and co-in-charge of KPYCC, and Srinivas Rathod, National Secretary and co-in-charge of KPYCC. However, the reason cited for the suspension appears unjustified, workers said.

Darshan, son of Minister for Sugar and Textiles Rudrappa Manappa Lamani, was busy attending to farmers when the protest against SIR was held in Delhi, said a Congress worker from the Haveri Assembly constituency. The worker said he wished to remain anonymous for fear of action.

In Karnataka, sugarcane farmers were protesting, and the protest was withdrawn on Thursday (November 5, 2026). Another worker said Darshan was engaged with farmers, travelling between multiple locations as his father is the Sugar Minister. No senior office-bearer had sought an explanation from him for his absence before issuing the suspension order, the worker said.

At least four Congress workers said the suspension of a leader from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community was an insult not just to the SC community but, more importantly, to the Banjara community. Darshan and his father have been working hard for the betterment of the community, and the community is aware of their efforts, they said.

“Darshan, who was guided by Minister for Public Works Department Satish Jarkiholi, played a key role in the 2026 byelection in Bagalkot. His nearly 10 days of ground-level work helped mobilise Lambani votes in the Tandas, which otherwise would have gone to the BJP. As a result, BJP candidate Veranna C Charantimath lost the election. Congress candidate Umesh Methi won by a comfortable margin of 22,332 votes. Our leader worked hard when it mattered,” the workers said.

Darshan was indeed planning to visit Delhi, but he felt that being with farmers in Karnataka was more important during the crisis. The suspension was issued without consulting the top brass of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), and this was a conspiracy to damage Darshan’s political career, the workers alleged. They warned that if the suspension was not revoked, it would have a major impact on the Congress party in the next elections in Haveri.

Speaking to blrpost.com, Darshan Kumar said, “I have been a loyal soldier of the Congress and have worked wholeheartedly for the party and my community. The community is upset over this development, and I am consoling them at the moment. I am hopeful that the top brass of the party will look into this.”