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What seemingly began as a synchronised opposition push accusing the ECI of enabling ‘vote chori’ has devolved into a social media turf war over who truly mobilised public anger
Supporters of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) hold placards during a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, at Shivaji Park in Mumbai. File pic/Reuters
A digital war has erupted on social media between supporters of the Indian National Congress and the viral youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). The two camps are trading accusations of “credit chori” over the movement against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and its controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) electoral roll process.
While both sides have mounted agitations demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of “vote chori”, a bitter online battle has emerged over who actually built the momentum against the poll panel.
CJP Attack: ‘Self-Declared Liberal Ecosystem Activated’
The online confrontation escalated sharply after CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and his supporters mobilised thousands of young protesters at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on Gandhi Jayanti.
Highlighting CJP’s organic reach, senior CJP figure Ashutosh Ranka took to social media site X to hit out directly at opposition commentators and Congress handles.
An entire “self-declared liberal” ecosystem has been activated to denounce @abhijeet_dipke and the fact that he has been able to capture the imagination of millions of Indians after a LONG LONG time.The hilarious part is that this ecosystem exists only on Twitter, but somehow thinks they are the sole protectors of democracy.
— Ashutosh Ranka (@AshutoshRanka) October 3, 2026
Ranka’s post triggered a wave of support from CJP activists, who argued that while traditional political parties confined their protests to press conferences and court petitions, it was CJP’s street mobilisations and civil disobedience that turned the SIR controversy into a national youth movement.
At A Glance
A digital war has erupted between supporters of the Indian National Congress and the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP).
Both sides are trading accusations of ‘credit chori’ over the movement against the Election Commission of India (ECI).
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke and supporters mobilised thousands of young protesters at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park.
Congress supporters accuse CJP of acting as a distraction and engaging in ‘credit chori’.
The clash highlights a rift between traditional political parties and viral youth-driven outfits.
Congress Supporters: ‘Cockroaches Roam Free, NSUI & IYC Detained’
Congress supporters and youth wing office-bearers launched an immediate counter-offensive, taking aim at CJP’s media coverage and accusing the group of acting as a distraction created to derail institutional opposition efforts.
Prominent Congress-aligned voice Vijay Thottathil posted a scathing critique on X, highlighting the disparity in how law enforcement and mainstream media treated the two groups during Friday’s demonstrations.
Cockroaches can roam free in Mumbai, but when NSUI & IYC hit the streets they are detained!!No media coverage on congress & full media coverage on cockroaches..What is the reason? Whose plan is being implemented?
— Vijay Thottathil (@vijaythottathil) October 2, 2026
Thottathil and other Congress activists argued that Rahul Gandhi and the INDIA bloc had been methodically exposing electoral roll discrepancies and “vote theft” in state elections long before CJP gained traction. They accused CJP of engaging in “credit chori” and stealing the spotlight built by years of groundwork by the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) and NSUI.
Key Fault Lines in the Social Media Turf War
The clash underscores a growing ideological and operational rift between traditional political parties and viral youth-driven outfits:
- Media Coverage vs Ground Action: Congress supporters allege that mainstream media selectively amplifies CJP protests to marginalise the opposition’s parliamentary protests, while CJP activists accuse Congress of jealousy over Gen-Z digital engagement.
- Protest Tactics: CJP advocates for direct ultimatums and non-partisan civil disobedience, whereas Congress maintains that structured political rallies, legal petitions, and parliamentary pressure are essential for institutional change.
- The ‘Vote Chori’ Ownership: While Congress points to Rahul Gandhi’s sustained press conferences on Vidarbha and electoral rolls, CJP supporters claim those efforts failed to mobilise the public until Dipke’s group took to the streets.
With both Congress and CJP planning further demonstrations across Delhi and state capitals throughout October, the “credit chori” tussle shows no signs of slowing down as both sides compete for leadership of the anti-ECI narrative.
Quick Answers
Ask News18A digital war erupted as both camps accused each other of “credit chori” over the movement against the Election Commission of India and its Special Intensive Revision electoral roll process.
Ask News18About the Author
Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra…Read More
October 03, 2026, 7:44 PM IST
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