From meme to movement: ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ surpasses BJP on Instagram in just five days
PTC Web Desk: What began as an online joke has now turned into one of the most talked-about digital political movements in India. The “Cockroach Janta Party” (CJP), a satirical social media campaign driven by memes, sarcasm and youth frustration, has crossed 10 million followers on Instagram within just five days of its launch.
The rapid rise of the page has surprised many observers because it has already overtaken the official Instagram account of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which currently has around 8.7 million followers. The account of the Indian National Congress still remains ahead with more than 13 million followers.
Operating under the handle “@cockroachjantaparty”, the campaign first gained attention after remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant during a court hearing last week. While commenting on social media activism and online criticism, the CJI reportedly compared certain individuals to “cockroaches”, triggering widespread debate online.
Soon after the remarks surfaced, social media users, particularly younger audiences, began using humour and satire to express anger over issues such as unemployment, exam paper leaks, lack of opportunities and growing frustration with institutions. Within days, the movement transformed from a meme page into a larger online campaign attracting massive engagement.
The campaign is being led by social media creator Abhijeet Dipke, who said the remarks sparked outrage because they came from someone responsible for protecting constitutional freedoms. According to Dipke, many young Indians connected with the movement because it reflected their everyday frustrations.
The Chief Justice later clarified that his comments were misunderstood and said he was referring only to people using fake degrees and misusing professional spaces. However, the clarification did little to slow the momentum of the online campaign.
The CJP’s rise has also drawn attention from well-known personalities. Social activist Prashant Bhushan, YouTuber Dhruv Rathee and leaders from the All India Trinamool Congress, including Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, have publicly interacted with or shown support for the campaign online.
Despite the attention, Dipke has maintained that the initiative is not trying to become a conventional political party. Instead, he describes it as a youth-driven platform reflecting dissatisfaction with the present system.
Interestingly, the movement’s popularity is not limited to Instagram. Its presence on X has also grown rapidly, with thousands of users engaging with its content daily. Supporters have even started discussing unofficial “state units” online, though no formal structure exists yet.
Political analysts believe the CJP phenomenon highlights how quickly social media can shape public conversations today. Unlike traditional political organisations built through years of groundwork, digital movements can now gain nationwide visibility almost overnight through memes, reels and viral content.
Whether the Cockroach Janta Party survives as a long-term movement or fades as an internet trend remains to be seen. However, its sudden rise has clearly shown the growing influence of Gen Z voices in India’s digital political space.
- With inputs from agencies
