The political debate over the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and its alleged links with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has intensified, with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann rejecting claims that the CJP is an AAP “B-team”.
Speaking at India Today’s Panchayat event, Mann acknowledged that CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had previously worked with the AAP, but said the party had no connection with the CJP.
Mann Confirms Dipke’s Past AAP Association
Mann said Dipke had been part of the AAP’s social media team before leaving the party and subsequently moving to the United States.
According to Mann, Dipke joined the AAP’s social media team in 2020 and was involved in developing political content using humour and satire.
Mann stressed that Dipke’s previous association with the party did not mean that the AAP was behind the CJP.
‘AAP Is Nobody’s B-Team’
Responding to allegations that the CJP was being used as a political extension of the AAP, Mann said his party had faced similar accusations in the past.
He said the AAP had previously been described as the “B-team” of both the Congress and BJP, and rejected such labels.
Mann maintained that the AAP had its own political identity and said the party considered itself to be representing the interests of people in Punjab and across the country.
Why the CJP-AAP Link Is Being Discussed
The CJP began as an online satirical movement before expanding into street-level protests, particularly around issues concerning education, examinations and government schools.
Its growing presence in student and youth protests has fuelled speculation about possible political links, especially because some of its office-bearers have previously been associated with the AAP.
CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka was reportedly an AAP volunteer in Rajasthan, while organisation in-charge Ajinkya Shinde had earlier been associated with the AAP youth wing.
However, these past associations do not by themselves establish that the CJP is controlled or operated by the AAP.
Dipke Rejects ‘B-Team’ Allegations
Dipke has repeatedly denied allegations that the CJP is the “B-team” of the Congress or AAP.
He has described the organisation as a pressure group focused primarily on students and education-related issues and has maintained that the CJP has its own independent agenda.
The controversy continues to centre on the distinction between individuals’ past political affiliations and any formal organisational relationship between the CJP and AAP.