Is CJP B-team of AAP? Bhagwant Mann replies with a Dipke twist

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, speaking at India Today's Panchayat event, spoke on the Cockroach Janta Party and its founder Abhijeet Dipke's past association with AAP.New Delhi,Oct 8, 2026 16:51 ISTIs Abhijeet Dipke's Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) the B team of AAP? The speculation has gained ground ever since the CJP, which started as an online satirical movement, exploded onto India's political landscape earlier this year with its protest over exam paper leaks. Rejecting the allegations at India Today's Panchayat event, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the AAP was the "A team" of 140 crore people of the country and 3.5 crore people of Punjab.Speaking in his own inimitable style, Mann admitted that while Dipke did work for the AAP previously, the party was not associated with the CJP. "That boy Dipke was earlier in our party. He worked in our social media team and then left. Later, he went to America," the Punjab CM, who faces elections next year, said.Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann attacks the Opposition, saying, "If the government is run from Delhi, why do they abuse me? They know that the government is run from Punjab, and the Punjab government works in a transparent manner." #PanchayatAajTakPunjab #BhagwantMannOnAajTak | @BhagwantMann | @swetasinghat @PreetiChoudhry— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) October 8, 2026BHAGWANT MANN ON CJP, DIPKEDipke joined the AAP's social media team in 2020, where he helped develop a style of political messaging that mixed humour and satire.Mann said AAP's political rivals have repeatedly tried to attach the AAP to one party or another. "Earlier, we were called the B team of Congress. We were also called BJP's B team. I don't know what this is. People say all sorts of things," he said.Mann said the AAP had its own political identity. "We are nobody's B team or C team. We are the A team of 140 crore people of the country and 3.5 crore people of Punjab. We are on the side of the people of Punjab," he stressed. Ever since the CJP burst onto India's political scene in May, there has been a buzz that the outfit was propelled by the AAP to channel the youth anger against the ruling BJP.The issues that the CJP raised - education and the state of government schools - were the AAP's domain. The party, in fact, built its political narrative around these issues.However, as the AAP's credibility took a hit over a host of corruption allegations, the CJP used the education plank to take the fight against the Centre.In July, Dipke and his team spearheaded a massive student protest at Delhi's Jantar Mantar that eventually resulted in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union Education Minister.MOST CJP TOP LEADERS HAVE AAP LINKBehind the 'B-team' buzz was another glaring fact.At least half of the CJP's office-bearers, including those in its national working committee, have had some past association with the AAP.CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka was an AAP volunteer in Rajasthan. Even Ajinkya Shinde, CJP's organisation in-charge, was the AAP youth wing's convener.However, Dipke has repeatedly rejected allegations that the CJP was the "B-team" of either the Congress or the AAP. He has maintained that the outfit intended to remain a pressure group focusing on students and education."Maharashtra Chief Minister says that I am the B team of Congress. Some say that I am the B team of AAP. I feel all these people should sit together and decide whose B team I am. According to us, we are the students' A team," Dipke has said.- Ends