The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday appointed three persons as its official spokespersons ahead of the planned protest in Delhi on June 6 demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak scandal. The party, which emerged as a viral youth movement just last month under founder Abhijeet Dipke, positioned these appointments as a step to amplify its voice and reshape political discourse. However, the backgrounds of the new spokespersons have only confirmed that CJP is essentially a rebranded extension of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), propped up by familiar opposition networks.
CJP has named journalist Saurav Das as the chief spokesperson of the party, while Vijeta Dahiya and Ashutosh Ranka have been designated to handle media relations and public representation. And just like Abhijeet Dipke, all three of them are closely linked with the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal.
Cockroach Janta Party announces three spokespersons who will speak on behalf of the protest movement to the public and the media.
— Cockroach is Back (@Cockroachisback) June 3, 2026
Investigative journalist Saurav Das will take on the role of Chief Spokesperson. Political researcher, author and filmmaker Vijeta Dahiya, and an…
Saurav Das, named as chief spokesperson, is an investigative journalist known for his reporting on legal, judicial, and governance matters. He gained visibility through his active participation in various protests, including the anti-pollution demonstrations at India Gate. Notably, Das is currently facing serious legal heat after the Delhi High Court issued him notice in a criminal contempt petition. The case relates to his articles and social media posts alleging conflict of interest and bias against Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma in the Delhi excise policy case involving AAP leaders like Arvind Kejriwal.
His reporting and amplification of narratives closely aligned with AAP’s defence in the liquor scam, and he joined Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in attacking Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma for not recusing herself from the case. As a result, the judge issued him a contempt of court notice, along with Kejriwal and other AAP leaders.
Saurav Das is also known for his vocal support for Umar Khalid and his description of the Babri Masjid demolition as a “BJP crime.” These facts prove his deep alignment with the AAP ecosystem.
The second spokesperson is Ashutosh Ranka, who is an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and the London School of Economics, with prior experience as a management consultant at McKinsey in London. After returning to India last year, he has been involved in civic campaigns in Jaipur focusing on environmental issues, education reforms, and youth concerns, including those tied to the NEET controversy.
However, his most notable political credential is his earlier role as a national spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party, where he aggressively defended Arvind Kejriwal and the party against allegations in the liquor policy scam, often dismissing them as politically motivated. Till recently, the bio of his social media accounts mentioned AAP, which he has removed now. However, his author profile at The Print still says “Ashutosh Ranka is a national spokesperson for the Aam Aadmi Party.”
The third appointee, Vijeta Dahiya, is a political researcher, author, poet, and filmmaker who graduated from Delhi Technological University. He has directed Haryanvi films such as Dararen and Opri Parai and authored books including Power of the Universe and To Hell With That Job.
His strongest public association, however, is as the chief scriptwriter and researcher for pro-AAP YouTuber Dhruv Rathee. In this capacity, Dahiya has played a key role in crafting content that is consistently critical of the Modi government. Given Dhruv Rathee’s well-known pro-AAP stance and frequent alignment with Arvind Kejriwal’s narratives, Dahiya’s long collaboration further cements his position within the broader AAP-friendly alternative media circle, making his appointment another clear indicator of CJP’s ideological leanings.
These appointments, combined with founder Abhijeet Dipke’s own past as a social media worker and volunteer with the Aam Aadmi Party between 2020 and 2023, including contributions to meme-based campaigns during AAP’s Delhi election victories, paint a compelling picture. Far from being an independent, fresh youth force, the Cockroach Janta Party appears to be largely propped up by the AAP ecosystem, functioning more like an unofficial branch or digital offshoot.
Recycling voices from AAP circles and the Dhruv Rathee network under a novel “cockroach” branding shows that CJP is not a genuine political innovation; it is aimed at reinforcing the existing opposition agenda while projecting an image of grassroots rebellion.
