Not in room, yet in conversation: CJP crawls into INDIA bloc huddle

NEW DELHI: The presence of the Cockroach Janata Party was felt at the INDIA bloc meeting even though none of its Generation Z leaders were present at the table during the opposition huddle.

During the meeting, the CJP was not part of the formal agenda, but was referred to by several leaders in their presentations, news agency PTI reported, citing sources.

Leaders who were present at the meeting told PTI that the opposition was divided over the intent and potential of the Cockroach Janata Party. While some leaders raised concerns over the nature of the movement and doubted whether there could be political motives behind it, others were of the opinion that the development reflected genuine dissatisfaction among young people.

"There were some concerns about the real intent," an opposition leader told PTI.

"Generally, the view was that it should be seen as a healthy sign of dissent and disapproval of youngsters against the system," they added.

According to the sources, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah supported the CJP and said that it was "doing something right." He even suggested opposition parties should engage with them.

"Let's associate with them, they must be doing something right," Abdullah said, according to sources.

TMC chief Mamata Banerjee also backed the CJP and said that while parties continue to fight political battles, there is also a need to encourage civil movements.

CPML Liberation general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya appeared to be more hopeful about the phenomenon, while several others expressed reservations.

Another source told PTI that Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray also referred to the movement, saying such support for it indicated that there was space for dissent in society.

While opinions differed on the origins and trajectory of the movement, sources said leaders across parties broadly agreed that the issues being raised by students and young people deserved attention.

Another opposition leader said the subject came up repeatedly despite never being part of the agenda.

"The so-called Cockroach Party found a place in the discussion. Different leaders referred to it while delivering their presentations. There were different opinions," the leader said.

According to sources, some leaders felt emerging platforms like the CJP were increasingly attracting attention in spaces traditionally occupied by opposition parties.

"Some doubted the scale of participation, its future and its reach. But the majority felt it reflected something and that political parties should look at that," another leader said.

The Cockroach Janata Party, or CJP, emerged in recent weeks as a youth-led movement protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive exams and demanding broader reforms in the education system.

The group has drawn attention through social media campaigns and public demonstrations, including a recent protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar that attracted significant participation.