India has a new political superstar - a cockroach

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. India has a new political superstar - a cockroach9 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleZoya MateenDelhiScreengrab from Cockroach Janta Party's websiteThe Cockroach Janta Party has taken an irreverent approach to politicsIndian politics has acquired an unusual mascot: the cockroach. It's not the lotus of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India's governing party, or the hand symbol of the opposition Congress, but the cockroach - stubborn, reviled and considered indestructible - which has recently become an unlikely yet relatable political symbol for young Indians online. The insect was thrust into the spotlight last week after controversial comments made by India's Chief Justice Surya Kant.

During a hearing, he allegedly compared unemployed young people drifting towards journalism and activism with cockroaches and parasites. He later clarified that he was referring specifically to people with "fake and bogus degrees", not India's youth more broadly. But by then the comments had already spread widely online, triggering outrage, jokes - and a humorous political uprising called the "Cockroach Janta Party" (Cockroach People's Party) or CJP.

The Details

It is not a formal political party but a satire-heavy online collective whose membership criteria include being unemployed, lazy, chronically online and possessing "the ability to rant professionally". It was created by Abhijeet Dipke, a political communications strategist and student at Boston University. He says the idea came as a joke.

Before moving to the US, he worked with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), a political organisation that emerged from an anti-corruption movement and is known for its strong social media presence. "I thought we should all come together, maybe just start a platform," he told Marathi. What followed was much bigger than he expected.

Within days, the CJP amassed tens of thousands of sign-ups through a Google form, inspired the hashtag #MainBhiCockroach ("I too am a cockroach and endorsements from opposition leaders. The movement also spilled offline, with young volunteers turning up dressed as cockroaches at clean-up drives and protests, in a theatrical embrace of the label. On Thursday, the CJP's Instagram account crossed 10 million followers, overtaking the official account of the BJP - widely described as the world's largest political party by membership - which has around 8.

However, its X account, with more than 200,000 followers, is currently not visible in India, with people trying to view it being told that it has been withheld "in response to a legal demand". But the momentum has only continued to build. Screengrab from Cockroach Janta Party's websiteThe party has a website with a Google form for membership For supporters, the movement represents what one fan called "a breath of fresh air" in a political culture many see as overly managed and hostile to dissent.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.