CJP chief asserts independence while aligning with INDIA bloc against election chief

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, told reporters on Wednesday that his organization will stay a stand‑alone advocacy group and does not stand opposed to the INDIA coalition. He added that both groups share the aim of challenging Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whom they accuse of manipulating polls to keep Prime Minister Narendra Modi in office. Dipke also ruled out any plan to register the CJP as a formal political party. His comments came after journalists asked why the CJP has not openly joined the INDIA bloc’s recent protest against the election chief, who faces demands to quit over alleged flaws in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. The INDIA bloc organised a march to the Supreme Court on Monday, drawing thousands of participants, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, other opposition figures and AISA activist Neha Bora. Dipke’s clarification aimed to explain the party’s stance amid speculation about its political ambitions.

Context

The INDIA bloc is a coalition of opposition parties formed to counter the ruling government’s agenda. The Chief Election Commissioner oversees the conduct of elections, and accusations of bias have sparked large‑scale demonstrations across the country.