New Delhi: In a surprising social media development, the satirical Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has crossed the Instagram following of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party within just four days of its launch.
As of Thursday evening, the meme-based movement had gained more than 14 million followers on Instagram, while the BJP’s official account had around 8.8 million followers.
What has caught attention online is the speed of the rise. While the BJP built its audience over several years with more than 18,000 posts, the CJP crossed the milestone with only 56 posts.
How the Movement Started
The movement began after remarks made during a hearing in the Supreme Court of India on May 15.
Chief Justice Surya Kant, while referring to unemployed youth and activists, used the term “cockroaches” during the proceedings. The remarks quickly went viral and triggered criticism on social media.
Later, Justice Kant clarified that his comments were aimed at people obtaining fake degrees and not at India’s youth. He also described young people as “the pillars of a developed India.”
Follow TJP Whatsapp ChannelHowever, by then, social media users — especially Gen Z — had already turned the remark into a meme movement.
Many young users, frustrated over unemployment, exam pressure, rising expenses and lack of opportunities, began using the “cockroach” label sarcastically as a symbol of protest.
Rise of the Cockroach Janta Party
The Cockroach Janta Party was started by Abhijeet Dipke, a political communication strategist currently studying Public Relations at Boston University.
Dipke had earlier worked with the social media team of the Aam Aadmi Party on youth-focused digital campaigns.
On May 16, he shared a Google Form on X asking people to join the satirical movement. The response was immediate.
According to the organisers:
- The page crossed 3 million followers within 78 hours
- It went beyond 9 million followers by May 20
- It reportedly crossed 14 million followers on May 21
The movement’s slogan — “Abki baar 10 million paar” — became widely popular online as a parody of the BJP’s election campaign slogans.
More Than Just Memes
Although it started as satire, the movement connected with many young Indians online.
The CJP’s campaign focused on issues such as:
- unemployment
- corruption
- pressure on students
- dissatisfaction with political leaders
- women’s representation in politics
Its unofficial manifesto also included proposals such as:
- action against corruption
- restrictions on post-retirement Rajya Sabha appointments
- more focus on youth employment
- 50% reservation for women in the Cabinet
- a 20-year ban on elected politicians switching parties
The movement also drew reactions from politicians, including Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, who joined online conversations related to the trend.
X Account Withheld in India
On Thursday, the CJP’s X account was withheld in India.
Founder Abhijeet Dipke said he expected such action as the movement continued gaining attention online.
Despite the restriction, discussions, memes and reposts related to the movement continued circulating across social media platforms.
Why This Matters
The BJP remains India’s most powerful political party electorally and continues to be one of the world’s largest political organisations by membership.
However, the sudden rise of the Cockroach Janta Party highlights the growing influence of meme culture and digital activism among young Indians.
Political observers say the trend reflects how social media, humour and satire are increasingly becoming tools for expressing public frustration and political opinion.
Whether the Cockroach Janta Party develops into something bigger or fades away as an internet trend is still unclear. But in just a few days, it has become one of the most talked-about political conversations online.
The Cockroach Janta Party is not registered with the Election Commission of India and currently describes itself as a satirical movement.
