The youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) announced on Thursday a national public outreach programme named Kya Bolti Public? which will start in September. The aim is to reach out to the citizens of our country and monitor them and build momentum around calls for a greater degree of accountability in our politics, particularly in the Election Commission. Abhijeet Dipke, one of the founders of CJP, made the announcement on Thursday in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, and also said they are seeing a decrease in the level of accountability in our system.
During the announcement, Dipke said democracy depends on independent and accountable institutions. The public confidence in institutions like the Election Commission, judiciary and parts of the media has weakened in the past few years, he said, and institutional accountability is in a “dangerous situation” and that it could have long-term effects on India’s democratic system.
Dipke said that the relationship between voters and the electoral process needs to be transparent and credible. “Voters used to choose a government earlier and now the government determines who will vote. Democracy cannot function like this. We need to fix the accountability of the Election Commission. Until we do this, election manipulation will continue in the country." His remarks are also in line with the party’s focus on electoral reform and increased public scrutiny of democratic institutions.
The 'Kya Bolti Public' campaign is a national listening exercise. Party volunteers will travel across states and interact with people from all social and economic backgrounds, and record issues from governance and unemployment to education, examination systems, inflation and electoral transparency. These conversations will be compiled in a public report to bring people’s views and push for institutional change.
The Cockroach Janta Party itself has a somewhat unusual origin story. What began as a series of satirical social media posts gradually developed into a youth-led political movement after many young people identified with its criticisms of rising education costs, repeated examination failures, unemployment, and governance. We had street demonstrations and public awareness campaigns and the online discussion expanded the organization beyond the digital platforms and started to take off.
Unlike traditional political parties that primarily contest elections, the CJP says it’s an independent pressure group demanding systemic changes rather than immediate electoral gains. Party leaders argue that their aim is to increase public voice and transparency and to encourage institutions to function independently. The new campaign would allow citizens to talk about their concerns in a way that is not at the expense of political partisanship, as the organisation will aim to promote people’s feelings and concerns.
The campaign announcement has been received with mixed emotions. Supporters have welcomed the initiative, citing that engagement and institutional accountability are essential to a healthy democracy. They argue that citizens’ participation in discussions about electoral reform can increase democratic participation and make governance more transparent.
#WATCH | Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra | Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) Founder Abhijeet Dipke says, "Institutional accountability is in a dangerous situation in our country today. This is a dangerous sign for our democracy. Earlier, voters used to choose a government.… pic.twitter.com/W1kMLjWtI9
— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2026
But critics have questioned the movement’s motivation and political positioning. Some say that the campaign is both non-partisan and could eventually develop larger political goals or align with a particular ideological focus. Others argue that allegations about election processes and institutions should be backed up by tangible evidence and addressed using constitutional and legal means.
Political analysts point out that, in the past few years, electoral reform and institutional independence have become a topic of debate. Civil society bodies, lawyers, technology experts and political stakeholders in India are talking about voter awareness, transparency, campaign financing, technological security and public trust in democratic institutions. And so campaigns such as 'Kya Bolti Public?' contribute to the larger public debate and public conversation even if their claims and proposals are being debated and appraised.
As preparations for the September launch begin, the Cockroach Janta Party says it will focus on interacting directly with citizens rather than holding political rallies. How much the campaign will have an impact on public discussion or policy discussions in the future, but it has already opened up a debate on democratic accountability, electoral transparency, and citizen participation in building institutions. With both supporters and critics closely watching its next steps, it’s expected to add more layers to India’s ongoing debate on governance and democratic reforms.
