Critics of the Cockroach Janta Party, including BJP leaders, say its founder Abhijeet Dipke worked for the Aam Aadmi Party. That is true: Dipke acknowledges doing social media and campaign work for AAP from 2020 to 2023, and later advising the Delhi government's education department.
Claim: CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke worked for the Aam Aadmi Party.
Said by: Critics of the CJP and BJP leaders.
What the record shows: Dipke worked on AAP's social media and campaign operation between 2020 and 2023, and has spoken about it publicly. No current AAP role has been reported.
Where the claim came from
Dipke launched the CJP with an X post on 16 May 2026, a day after the Chief Justice's "cockroaches" remark. It grew to millions of followers within days. The Wire As it grew, critics pointed to his past with AAP to argue that the movement was not as spontaneous as it looked.
Claim · critics Critics cited by the BBC said this history shows the CJP is a packaged political campaign. Wikipedia (citing BBC) When Dipke backed Rahul Gandhi's demand for Amit Shah's resignation in July, BJP's Keshav Upadhye said he had "politicised" the movement. News24
What the evidence shows
Documented · acknowledged by Dipke According to The Wire, Dipke "worked with AAP's social media and campaign operation between 2020 and 2023". During the 2020 Delhi election he built meme-based content aimed at young voters. He later served as a communications adviser to the Delhi government's education department, and is described as close to former education minister Manish Sisodia. The Wire CBS News
In August 2024, before leaving for his master's degree at Boston University, he posted on X: "Leaving for Boston with your guidance as my compass. No distance will ever weaken my commitment to AAP." The Wire
At a Gen Z Summit in August 2026, Dipke said he had worked with CJP co-convenor Ashutosh Ranka: "We worked together in AAP earlier... In AAP, not in some terrorist organisation." The Wire
Claim · Dipke to Reuters, Aug 2026 He has no near-term plan to contest elections and does not endorse any party. TimesLive/Reuters
The record shows past employment and stated loyalty. It does not show, in any report found, that AAP funds, directs or controls the CJP.
Context
The CJP's protests drew support from many opposition parties. Arvind Kejriwal joined the Jantar Mantar protest on 16 July, and Shashi Tharoor, Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav backed the movement. Wikipedia Claim · CJP The party says it is "funded by nothing"; it has published no audited accounts. The Federal Dipke's background is covered on the Cockroach Janta Party protests page.
Questions people ask
Is Abhijeet Dipke an AAP member?
He worked on AAP's social media and campaigns from 2020 to 2023 and later advised the Delhi education department. No current AAP role has been reported.
Is the Cockroach Janta Party run by AAP?
No evidence shows that. Critics point to Dipke's AAP past; Dipke says he endorses no party and has no near-term plan to contest elections.
Who is Ashutosh Ranka?
He is a CJP co-convenor and spokesperson. Dipke says the two worked together in AAP.
Sources
- The Wire: Abhijeet Dipke reveals how the CJP was born, details AAP links, 25 Aug 2026
- Wikipedia: Cockroach Janta Party, accessed 9 Oct 2026
- News24: Dipke backs Rahul Gandhi on Amit Shah, Jul 2026
- CBS News: Cockroach Janta Party online protest, 2026
- TimesLive/Reuters: Cockroach party resists lure of election, 4 Aug 2026
- Wikipedia: 2026 Delhi Jantar Mantar protests, accessed 9 Oct 2026
- The Federal: CJP funding row, Jul 2026
