India's Gen Z cockroach party resists lure of election after rattling Modi

CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR, India: India’s Gen-Z Cockroach Janta Party, whose recent protest against exam paper leaks claimed a rare ministerial scalp, has no immediate plans to enter electoral politics, its founder ​told Reuters on Tuesday.

Abhijeet Dipke spearheaded demonstrations that spread nationwide from Delhi, forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s education minister to resign, and spotlighting young people’s ‌worries about high jobless rates despite rapid economic growth.

“We want to consult Gen Z on the issues they want us to focus on,” Dipke said in an interview at his home in the western state of Maharashtra, adding that supporters would meet for two days from Wednesday to decide their next steps.

“The purpose will be to form the agenda for the Cockroach Janta Party and discuss how we can take this ​social movement forward,” said Dipke, as he posed for photographs with visitors streaming into his two-storey family home.

He ruled out an immediate move into electoral politics, but ​said he would consider forming a party if “a majority of the people” wanted it, contesting elections later in response to public demand.

“In India, ⁠I don’t think that forming a political party is a solution right now,” Dipke added. “What India needs is a public movement which will fight to bring back the trust and ​accountability in all the institutions.”

For now, he said, the CJP’s focus would be on amplifying the concerns of young Indians, many of whom he said had lost faith in the country’s ​politicians, courts and media.

“It’s really important to consult these young people and understand what they actually need,” added Dipke, who was recovering from typhoid caught during the sit-in protest in Delhi.

BOUQUETS STACKED UP AT HOME

After the 36-day protest, Dipke returned to his home town of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, to be greeted by hundreds of supporters carrying bouquets lined up on the floor of his home.

Since his return in June following studies in ​the United States, Dipke become a sensation after his call to protest against medical exam leaks drew tens of thousands of young people into the streets of Delhi last month.

Education Minister Dharmendra ​Pradhan resigned on July 25 after tear gas and baton charges failed to break up the protest movement.

In its wake, the government has backed harsher legal penalties against exam leaks and set up a panel ‌to review ⁠the examination system.

The high-stakes exams are a gateway to secure jobs for millions of young students, who can spend many years preparing in hopes of eventually securing financial stability for themselves and their families.

Dipke said he did not want to form a political party right away as he feared the government would try to discredit it by launching investigations against its leaders.

He also ruled out supporting any political party, despite efforts by India’s opposition to exploit the rare opening offered by the protests against Modi.

Some caution may stem from the fact that in neighbouring Bangladesh, ​a Gen Z party formed after young people ousted ​long-term leader Sheikh Hasina in 2024, ⁠fared poorly in this year’s elections.

YOUNG VOTERS COULD SHOW ANGER AT POLLS

Analysts say elections next year could offer the first test of young Indians’ anger as they cast ballots in the country’s most populous state of northern Uttar Pradesh, as well in the breadbasket state of Punjab ​and Modi’s home state of Gujarat.

But wider general elections in 2029 could present a bigger risk for Modi if the CJP turns ​itself into a party, ⁠analysts say.

“It is unlikely that this issue will cause significant damage to the BJP in state elections, though it could become a bigger factor by 2029,” said political analyst Amitabh Tiwari, referring to the general elections.

“If the CJP forms a party, continues to champion youth issues and maintains its momentum while keeping pressure on the government, it could attract support.”

At Dipke’s home more than a ⁠dozen police stood ​guard after social media threats against him since he first went viral in May, drawing 22 million Instagram followers ​for the CJP within days.

But his concern was for the safety of his parents.

“I am worried about my parents, and that is why I am very glad to be at home,” Dipke said. “I am hopeful that nothing will ​happen because I have been provided security by the government.”