Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has invited Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke to join the Republican Party of India (A), which is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Athawale said Dipke, whom he described as a young and active Ambedkarite, should enter politics and work towards strengthening society while carrying forward the vision of Dr B R Ambedkar.
Athawale’s offer comes amid growing attention around Dipke and the CJP following their protests over the NEET-UG 2026 examination and alleged irregularities in the education system. The minister said people responsible for wrongdoing should face action and suggested that Dipke could contribute more by joining mainstream politics.
Dipke, however, has previously expressed reservations about electoral politics, arguing that people have lost faith in political parties and the existing election system. He has instead advocated for public movements to push for change.
Following Athawale’s invitation, Dipke responded by questioning the shift in the political narrative surrounding him. He referred to earlier criticism against him and asked whether he had not been labelled “anti-national” only a month ago. His response suggested that he remains sceptical about the offer and the political establishment’s approach towards his activism.
As of now, Dipke has not indicated that he intends to accept the invitation or join the NDA camp. The exchange between the Union minister and the CJP founder has nevertheless added a new political dimension to Dipke’s growing public profile and his confrontations with the government over education and public accountability.
