CJP splits: Internal ego clash or political ploy? Brahmbhatt breaks away from Dipke

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has split after activist Manish Brahmbhatt launched a Democratic faction and accused the original outfit, led by Abhijeet Dipke, of becoming politicised and turning into “Team Kejriwal”.

Dipke rejected the allegations, saying the organisation remained focused on students and education.

Brahmbhatt launches CJP-Democratic

Brahmbhatt announced the formation of the Cockroach Janta Party-Democratic (CJP-D) on Thursday, objecting to the way the original CJP’s 12-member national team was constituted.

He alleged that volunteers and protesters who had participated in the movement were not consulted before the leadership team was formed. Brahmbhatt said he wanted a broader national structure, with representation from protesters and volunteers from different states.

He also alleged that eight members of the newly formed team had links with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), while describing others as friends or college associates. These claims were made by Brahmbhatt and were not independently established in the reports provided.

Dipke rejects ‘B team’ allegations

Responding to accusations that the CJP was functioning as a political party’s “B team”, Dipke rejected the charge.

He said critics should first determine which political party they believed he represented, referring to allegations linking the organisation to both the Congress and AAP.

“According to us, we are students' A team,” Dipke said.

Dipke maintained that the movement was centred on improving government schools and education rather than serving the interests of a particular political organisation. He also pointed out that leaders from different parties had raised education-related issues.

Degree row returns to the spotlight

Dipke also defended his right to question the educational qualifications of people holding public office. He argued that people contesting elections or occupying constitutional positions should keep their educational credentials publicly accessible.

He then targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, questioning why his degree had not been publicly disclosed and referring to a court decision concerning its disclosure. His remarks were part of a broader argument that public figures should face scrutiny over their qualifications.

CJP’s rise after education protests

The dispute comes after the CJP gained attention through political satire and protests linked to alleged paper leaks and education-related issues. The movement’s campaign was associated with calls for accountability in the education system and eventually coincided with Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister.

The organisation had also announced a march but cancelled its September 5 protest after the Supreme Court quashed FIRs against student protesters across India, according to the reports.

What the split means

The dispute now centres on who should control the movement, how its leadership should be selected and whether it should remain an independent student-focused platform.

Brahmbhatt’s decision to create a separate faction reflects his allegation that the original CJP leadership moved away from the participatory structure he wanted. Dipke, meanwhile, has rejected claims of political alignment and says the organisation’s focus remains education and public accountability.

The competing claims mark a significant organisational dispute within a movement that had built its public profile around student issues, political satire and criticism of the education system.