New Delhi: Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), has got an offer from a Union minister to join his party.
Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Ramdas Athawale said on Monday that the CJP convenor should consider joining his Republican Party of India (A) to “fulfil Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s dream”.
The Republican Party of India (A) is a component of the BJP-led NDA.
Dipke, who had previously ruled out entering electoral politics, saying that people have lost faith in politics and the election system, has not yet responded to the minister’s offer.
Athawale told reporters that Dipke should consider joining his RPI (A) party to fulfil Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s dream, while also helping strengthen society and the party, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“I think Abhijeet Dipke is an Ambedkarite. He is active and young. He should consider joining Republic Party of India (A),” he said.
The government believes that those who do wrong should be punished, the minister said while asking the CJP founder to join active politics.
Athawale appeared to be referring to the CJP and student-led protests at Jantar Mantar last month that led to Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union education minister over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case and other examination-related irregularities.
“We are a government that believes people should be punished if they do wrong. So, he should join the ruling faction,” Athawale said.
Earlier this month, Dipke had said he does not want to enter politics and that the CJP should continue as a movement. The country needed a public movement rather than another political party.
“We have no such intention. We are seeing how political parties are being split using the ED and CBI. Votes are being deleted in elections. At this point, when people have lost faith in politics, what will we do by forming a political party,” he had told ANI.
“The way people are losing faith in the judiciary, election system and even the media, this country needs a public movement,” Dipke had said.
He has not yet reacted to the minister’s offer though.
On Saturday, Dipke launched the “School Thik Karo” campaign from his native village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, saying that poor students were suffering because of the government’s neglect and calling for a cap on private school fees.
He urged sarpanches and parents to take up the “social and moral responsibility” of ensuring better basic facilities for children.