Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical online political movement that has rapidly outpaced BJP, Congress, and every other Indian party in Instagram followers, is facing serious questions about its independence after a former civil servant quit the movement and allegations surfaced of links to the Aam Aadmi Party.
What Is the Cockroach Janta Party
Founded by Boston-based Abhijeet Dipke, currently studying public relations at Boston University, the CJP gained national attention through meme-driven satire targeting political hypocrisy. Its irreverent tone and sharp messaging quickly resonated with social media users frustrated with conventional politics.
AAP Links Alleged
Dipke worked with AAP from 2020 to 2023, a fact he has acknowledged, though he denies current links with the party. Suspicions intensified after senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia publicly backed the CJP on May 20, and an old post by Dipke surfaced in which he thanked Sisodia and declared his commitment to AAP before leaving for Boston. Critics have drawn parallels between the CJP’s emergence and Arvind Kejriwal’s May 13 appeal urging students to take to the streets over the NEET paper leak.
Former Civil Servant Quits After No Response
Former civil servant Ashish Joshi had initially supported the CJP but publicly demanded clarity on X about whether the movement was genuinely independent. After Dipke failed to respond within 24 hours, Joshi announced his withdrawal, saying he refused to be part of a movement that was not genuinely independent.
Other Critics Raise Concerns
Educationist Sandeep Manudhane had earlier warned people on X to be wary of the CJP, calling it an AAP venture aimed at destroying opposition space by new means, and drew a parallel with the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement of 2011.
