Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has joined the list of leaders invoking the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’, a satirical political group that has gained traction online, suggesting a direct contest between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the so-called ‘CJP’.
'Cockroach Janta Party' or the 'CJP' was born out of satire after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant's controversial statement on unemployed youths. Since then, the CJP has became an online sensation, with several opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, joining the trend.
Also Read: Cockroach Janata Party vs National Parasitic Front: The new political battle brewing in India
Akhilesh was the latest to join the trend with a 3-word tweet in Hindi: "BJP banam CJP" (or BJP versus CJP).
Though the 3-word post of the Samajwadi Party leader fell short of giving any context or details, the timing and the BJP reference had several political undertones.
{{/usCountry}}Though the 3-word post of the Samajwadi Party leader fell short of giving any context or details, the timing and the BJP reference had several political undertones.
{{/usCountry}}Akhilesh's post comes at a time when the BJP is gearing up for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, a high-stake contest for the saffron camp and the SP.
Unemployed youths is a key agenda this election season, with the opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party trying to bank the issue in its favour.
Akhilesh, along with other parties like Congress, have targeted the BJP government at the state and Centre, over several issues concerning youth, including jobs and paper leaks.
'Cockroach Janta Party' satire or serious politics
It all began with a controversial remarks from Chief Justice Surya Kant, who on Friday compared some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites” triggering massive outrage online.
Since then, the internet banked on the buzzword ‘cockroach’ and soon an internet user came up with a social media page ‘Cockroach Janta Party’. The satirical party describes itself as the “Voice of the Lazy & Unemployed,” headquartered “wherever the wifi works.”
Though the page was full of memes and parody, but the concerns echoed real-life issues. Within days, the parody page attained over a million followers on social media, turning an internet joke into a viral political moment.
Soon, several leaders, including Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, joined the trend. Celebrities, including filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, actors Konkona Sen Sharma and Esha Gupta have also started following CJP’s Instagram handle.