Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke on Friday urged Opposition parties to stop participating in elections if they believe the electoral process is being rigged, arguing that their “participation gives legitimacy” to an allegedly flawed system.
He compared the Opposition’s participation in elections to a fixed cricket match, where not every catch is deliberately dropped and the game may be taken to the final over to make the contest appear genuine. He said Opposition parties could be handed a few wins – “the crumbs” – just enough to keep them contesting and make voters believe there was a real fight.
“When you continue to participate in rigged elections, you legitimise these elections and help maintain the illusion that they are free and fair,” Dipke said in a post on X.
Deep Dive
What is Abhijeet Dipke's stance on Opposition parties participating in elections amid allegations of rigging?
Why did Chief Minister DK Shivakumar call for the resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner?
How does Dipke view the implications of electoral participation by Opposition parties?
His remarks came a day after the CJP demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and threatened a nationwide agitation if he did not step down within 48 hours.
‘What kind of existence are you trying to protect?’
Dipke questioned the Opposition’s decision to continue contesting elections despite its repeated allegations of electoral irregularities.
{{/usCountry}}Dipke questioned the Opposition’s decision to continue contesting elections despite its repeated allegations of electoral irregularities.
{{/usCountry}}“Maybe you keep contesting because you fear that if you don’t, you will stop existing. But what kind of existence are you trying to protect when votes are being stolen, your MLAs and MPs are being poached, and your parties are being split?” he said.
Dipke also said Opposition parties should not raise allegations of election rigging selectively depending on which state or party is affected.
“You cannot keep saying the game is rigged while continuing to play it. Your participation is the only thing that gives these rigged elections legitimacy.
“Think about the nation and its democracy before thinking about your own political survival. Take a stand and stop participating in rigged elections,” Dipke added.
Rahul Gandhi demands CEC’s resignation
Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has also called for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation while reiterating his earlier allegations of “vote-chori”.
“... I have shown it with proof, and there is already more than enough information to make this a 100 per cent certainty that Indian elections, Lok Sabha elections, 2024 election, Vidhan Sabha elections are all being rigged,” Congress leader said.
The Congress leader said the two Election Commissioners had “done a wise thing” by raising their objections and urged the CEC to “think seriously and turn approver.”
What triggered the latest ECI row?
Dipke’s comments come amid a fresh controversy over the functioning of the Election Commission after an Indian Express investigation reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had formally objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions and orders they said were taken without their knowledge.
The objections reportedly involved key aspects of electoral-roll management, including the addition, deletion and restoration of voters, changes to Form 6 and access to the Commission’s electoral-roll database, the report added.
The ECI, however, rejected suggestions of an institutional rupture, saying differing views, written notes and internal checks were part of the decision-making process in a multi-member constitutional body.