Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has joined the list of leaders invoking the ‘Cockroach Janta Party’, a satirical political group that has gained traction online, suggesting a direct competition between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the so-called ‘JJD’.
The Cockroach Janta Party or CJP was born out of sarcasm after the controversial statement made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant about unemployed youth. Since then, the CJP has created a sensation online, with several opposition leaders, including Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, joining the trend.
Also read: Cockroach Janata Party vs Parasitic National Front: The new political battle is brewing in India
Akhilesh was the latest to join the trend with a 3-word tweet in Hindi: “BJPbanam CJP” (or BJP vs CJP).
Although the Samajwadi Party leader’s three-word post did not provide any context or details, the timing and reference to the BJP had several political connotations.
Akhilesh’s post comes at a time when the BJP is gearing up for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, a high-stakes contest between the saffron camp and the SP.
Unemployed youth are a major agenda this election season, with opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party, trying to turn the issue in their favour.
Akhilesh, along with other parties like the Congress, has targeted the BJP government in the state and the Centre, over several youth-related issues, including jobs and paper leaks.
“Cockroach Janta Party” is a satire or serious politics
It all started with controversial remarks from Chief Justice Surya Kant, who on Friday likened some unemployed youth to “cockroaches” and “parasites”, sparking widespread outrage online.
Since then, the internet has relied on the buzzword “cockroach” and one netizen soon came up with a social media page named “Cockroach Janta Party”. The satirical party describes itself as “the voice of the lazy and the unemployed”, and is based “wherever the Wi-Fi works”.
Although the page was filled with memes and parodies, the concerns echoed real-life issues. Within days, the satirical page had reached more than a million social media followers, turning an online joke into a viral political moment.
Soon several leaders, including Trinamool Congress MPs Mahua Moitra and Kirti Azad, joined the trend. Celebrities, including director Anurag Kashyap and actors Konkona Sen Sharma and Esha Gupta, also started following CJP’s Instagram account.
