Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), rejected an invitation to join the Republican Party of India (A) and the NDA camp.
The exchange highlights the tension between independent political activists and established coalitions in India, specifically regarding the use of nationalist labels to marginalize dissenters.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, leader of the RPI(A), extended the offer on Monday, April 22, 2026 [1]. Athawale said that joining the party would fulfill the dream of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar [2]. He said that such a move would strengthen both the party and society while fulfilling Ambedkar's vision [3].
Dipke responded to the invitation by questioning the sincerity of the offer. He asked, “Wasn’t I anti‑national for you just a month ago?” [1].
This retort refers to a period approximately one month prior to the invitation [4] when Dipke had been labeled anti-national during student protests [1]. The shift from labeling an individual as a threat to the nation to inviting them into a governing alliance has become a point of contention for the CJP founder.
The invitation from Athawale is part of a broader political outreach strategy by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to expand its base [2]. By targeting leaders of smaller parties and student-led movements, the alliance seeks to consolidate support across various social strata.
Dipke's refusal underscores a rift between the NDA's outreach efforts and the lived experiences of activists who have faced government pressure. While the RPI(A) framed the invitation as a means of societal strengthening, Dipke focused on the inconsistency of the political rhetoric used against him earlier in the year.
““Wasn’t I anti‑national for you just a month ago?””
This interaction illustrates the volatility of political labeling in India, where 'anti-national' tags are often used during protests but may be overlooked during electoral outreach. Dipke's reaction suggests that for some independent actors, the ideological conflict and personal cost of state-aligned labeling outweigh the perceived benefits of joining a major political coalition.
