There’s a new political outfit making waves on the internet, and it seems to have surpassed the ruling BJP in terms of social media popularity. The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) is a meme-driven satirical movement that has made a splash online. In just five days since its inception, the Instagram account of the CJP has crossed 11.9 million followers, surpassing the following of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which stands at 8.7 million.
The movement is the brainchild of Abhijeet Dipke. It emerged after controversial remarks attributed to Chief Justice Surya Kant comparing some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites” triggered widespread backlash online.
(Also read: What is Cockroach Janta Party? 5 things about the ‘voice of lazy and unemployed’)
Who is Abhijeet Dipke?
Abhijeet Dipke is a 30-year-old Indian political communication strategist and founder of the CJP.
He is known for his work in digital political messaging, narrative building, and online campaign strategy.
Dipke completed his undergraduate degree in journalism in Pune before moving to the United States for higher education.
He recently graduated from Boston University with a two-year master’s degree in Public Relations.
Between 2020 and 2023, he worked with Aam Aadmi Party and was involved in the party’s social media and election campaign operations.
{{/usCountry}}Between 2020 and 2023, he worked with Aam Aadmi Party and was involved in the party’s social media and election campaign operations.
{{/usCountry}}During the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, when the party led by Arvind Kejriwal secured a major victory, the then-24-year-old Dipke contributed to meme-driven digital campaigns for AAP.
(Also read: Cockroach Janata Party >>> Bharatiya Janata Party. At least on Instagram)
Dipke told India Today that he is currently in the US and the inception of the Cockroach Janata Party was not planned.
“And as I told you, none of this was planned. If I had planned it, I wouldn’t be doing it from the US. I would have been in India. But I want to underline this: this has happened because of the frustration young people have carried for many years. India has the largest young population, and the majority of that young population is out of the workforce,” he said.
Dipke currently has over 75,000 followers on X, where his bio reads: “Founding President - Cockroach Janta Party”.
(Also read: Akhilesh joins ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ trend, has a cryptic message on UP elections)