Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has hit back at social media trolls accusing him of distancing himself from jailed party leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, saying he takes pride in having colleagues he considers better leaders and people than himself.

In a video message shared on X on Tuesday, Dipke rejected claims that his praise for the two was an attempt to shift blame onto them. He said their relationship was built on mutual trust and collective decision-making, and that online criticism would not drive them apart.

“Saurav and Ashu are not just better leaders than me but also better people,” Dipke wrote, describing his admission as a source of pride rather than an attempt to disown his colleagues.

Responding to allegations that he was trying to protect himself by putting the blame on Das and Ranka, Dipke said CJP did not follow a leadership model in which one person's opinion was treated as the ultimate truth.

“We do not have a dictatorial mindset where we believe that whatever we say is right or the truth,” he said.

Dipke added that he had no hesitation in acknowledging that his colleagues could understand issues better, offer stronger ideas and make better decisions. He said the party discussed issues collectively and acted on whichever suggestions were best, rather than expecting everyone to agree with him.

Calling Das and Ranka his brothers, Dipke said their bond extended beyond political disagreements. He maintained that the three would continue to stand together despite attempts to create divisions among them.

Why are CJP's Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka in jail?

Das and Ranka have been in jail since October 13 following a protest by CJP activists at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The party has also been demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

In an earlier video message on Tuesday, Dipke rejected comparisons between the protest and violent unrest abroad, saying the two jailed leaders had chosen the path of satyagraha and non-violence associated with Mahatma Gandhi.

He also appealed to supporters to resist hatred, stand by families affected by the arrests and remain committed to peaceful protest.