The Rise of the Cockroach Janata Party
From one tweet to 17 million followers — a timeline of the fastest-growing political movement in Indian history.
May 15, 2026 — The Spark
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, during a Supreme Court hearing, calls unemployed youth “cockroaches” and “parasites of society.” Social media erupts with outrage. The hashtag #Cockroach begins trending.
May 16, 2026 — Birth of CJP
Abhijeet Dipke posts on X announcing a “platform for all the cockroaches.” The CJP website goes live. CJI Surya Kant issues a clarification claiming he was misquoted. Within hours, 40,000+ people sign up through a Google Form. The CJP drops a 5-point manifesto. #MainBhiCockroach goes mega-viral.
May 17, 2026 — Politicians Join In
TMC MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad announce interest in joining. The CJP’s social media handles begin growing at thousands of followers per minute.
May 18, 2026 — The Anthem Drops
CJP releases “Haan Main Hoon Cockroach” — a protest song referencing the NEET paper leak, student pressure, and anger at the system. The song goes viral. Registered members cross 70,000. BBC, India Today, and The Telegraph run features.
May 19, 2026 — 3 Million on Instagram
The Instagram account crosses 3 million followers in just 78 hours. Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) posts “BJP banam CJP.” International outlets including Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Deutsche Welle begin coverage. Registered members cross 350,000.
May 20, 2026 — Sabeer Bhatia Backs CJP
Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia posts an Instagram reel saying he supports the movement “100 per cent.” Bollywood figures including Anurag Kashyap, Kunal Kamra, Konkona Sen Sharma, Dia Mirza express support. Offline protests begin with volunteers wearing cockroach costumes. Instagram approaches 10 million followers.
May 21, 2026 — Bigger Than BJP
CJP’s Instagram surpasses both BJP (8.7M) and Congress to cross 14 million followers, later reaching 17 million. The X account is withheld in India following a legal demand — hours after overtaking BJP on Instagram. The Guardian, AP News, and Forbes publish major features. Dhruv Rathee announces he will join. Reports emerge of CJP considering fielding a candidate in the Bankipur Assembly by-election in Bihar.
