Abhijeet Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke
Born	(1995-09-29) 29 September 1995 Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
Alma mater	Boston University (MSc)
Occupation	Political communication strategist
Years active	2020–present
Known for	Founder of the Cockroach Janta Party

Abhijeet Dipke (born 29 September 1995) is an Indian political communication strategist and the founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a satirical political movement that started in May 2026 after remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

Early life and education

Abhijeet Dipke was born on 29 September 1995 in Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra. His father Bhagwanrao Dipke is a retired engineer from MIDC, and his mother Anita Dipke is a homemaker. He completed his primary education in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and later studied at S.B. College.

Dipke earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism in Pune. His father had initially secured his admission in engineering through management quota, but Dipke did not appear for the first-year exams and later shifted to mass media. He then moved to the United States and completed a Master of Science in Public Relations from Boston University.

Career

Work with Aam Aadmi Party

Abhijeet Dipke with Manish Sisodia

Between 2020 and 2023, Dipke worked as a volunteer with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) social media team. During the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election, which AAP won under Arvind Kejriwal's leadership, he made meme-based digital content aimed at young voters. He also served as a communication advisor for the Delhi government's education department. He left AAP in 2023 to study abroad.

Cockroach Janta Party

Main article: Cockroach Janta Party

On 15 May 2026, Chief Justice Surya Kant said during a Supreme Court hearing: "There are youngsters like cockroaches, who do not get any employment or have any place in a profession. Some of them become media, some become social media, RTI activists, and they start attacking everyone." The next day, Dipke posted on X: "What if all cockroaches come together?" He then created the Cockroach Janta Party as a satirical online group, setting up a website and a Google Form for membership.

Within days, the party had over 350,000 registered members. By 21 May 2026, the CJP's Instagram account had crossed 19 million followers, more than any other political party in India. The party's X account, which had over 200,000 followers, was later withheld in India "in response to a legal demand." Dipke responded to this on X, calling it an "own goal."

Dipke also claimed that attempts were made to hack the party's Instagram account. In a video message, he said: "Many attempts are being made to hack our account. I find it funny that these cowards are targeting young 20-21-year-old students."

In an interview with India Today, Dipke said: "Someone who is there to safeguard our freedom of expression is comparing us with cockroaches and parasites for just putting up our opinion."

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dipke explained why he picked the cockroach as a symbol: "Those in power think citizens are cockroaches and parasites. They should know that cockroaches breed in rotten places. That's what India is today."

Parents' concerns

Following the rapid rise of the Cockroach Janta Party, Dipke's parents expressed concerns about his entry into politics. His mother Anita Dipke told a Marathi news channel that they had lost sleep after learning about his move. His father Bhagwanrao said he wanted his son to take up a job in Pune or Delhi instead of entering politics. His mother also stated: "He has been rebellious since childhood. Once he decides something, he goes ahead and does it. That is what worries us the most."

Political positions

Dipke has called the Cockroach Janta Party a "platform" for young Indians who feel left out of mainstream politics. The party's manifesto includes demands for a ban on post-retirement Rajya Sabha seats for Chief Justices, 50 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and Cabinet, and cancellation of licenses for media houses owned by the Adani Group and Reliance Industries.

Legal proceedings

In May 2026, Dipke filed a petition before the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Government's order directing X to withhold access to the Cockroach Janta Party's account under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The petition argued that the blocking order was unlawful and sought restoration of the account. The Delhi High Court issued notice on the plea and directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology's Review Committee to examine the blocking order, while declining to grant interim relief.

Separately, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed before the Allahabad High Court by Karnataka BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir seeking an investigation by agencies including the National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate into Dipke and the Cockroach Janta Party. The petition alleged that the organisation was conducting an "engineered digital campaign" affecting public order and sought the blocking of its social media accounts. The petition also requested investigations under several security-related laws. The allegations reflected the petitioner's claims and had not been adjudicated by the court.

2019 complaint

Screenshot of a tweet posted by Abhijeet Dipke on 5 August 2019 regarding Kashmir and Article 370. The tweet was later deleted from his X (formerly Twitter) account.

In August 2019, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), a legal advocacy organisation, submitted a complaint to Pune Police against Abhijeet Dipke over a series of social media posts published following the Government of India's decision to abrogate Article 370, which revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. The complaint alleged that Dipke's posts promoted narratives sympathetic to Kashmiri separatists and sought legal action under various provisions of Indian law. It requested that Pune Police register a criminal case and investigate the matter.

The complaint cited several posts in which Dipke commented on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the constitutional changes. It alleged that the posts spread misinformation, encouraged separatist sentiment, and were prejudicial to India's sovereignty and integrity. It further sought investigation under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and other laws relating to national security. One of the posts referenced in the complaint was a tweet published by Dipke on 5 August 2019 stating, "Need to stand with #Kashmir. Today its Kashmir, tomorrow it can be your state." The tweet was later deleted from his X (formerly Twitter) account.

In interviews given in 2026, Vinay Joshi of the Legal Rights Observatory stated that despite repeated follow-ups with Pune Police over several years, he was not aware of any FIR having been registered in connection with the complaint. The Statesman reported that it contacted Dipke for comment but had not received a response.

External links

• Abhijeet Dipke on Twitter