Union Minister Ramdas Athawale Invites CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke To Join BJP-Led NDA Camp

Union minister Ramdas Athawale has invited Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke to join his Republican Party of India (A), which is part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre. Athawale said the 30-year-old activist should consider entering politics to help fulfil Dr BR Ambedkar’s vision, but Dipke has not yet responded to the offer.

Athawale urges Dipke to join RPI(A)

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Athawale described Dipke as a young and active Ambedkarite and urged him to consider joining the Republican Party of India (A).

“I think Abhijeet Dipke is an Ambedkarite. He is active and young. He should consider joining Republican Party of India (A),” Athawale said.

The Union minister also said Dipke’s involvement could help strengthen both society and the party.

While making the political pitch, Athawale said the government believes that those who do wrong should face punishment.

“We are a government that believes people should be punished if they do wrong. So, he should join the ruling faction,” he said.

His remarks appeared to refer to the CJP and student-led protests at Jantar Mantar last month, which focused on the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy and other examination-related irregularities. The protests were followed by Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation as Union Education Minister.

Dipke has previously ruled out electoral politics

Dipke has not yet reacted to Athawale’s latest offer. He has previously maintained that he does not intend to enter electoral politics and wants the CJP to remain a public movement rather than become another political party.

Earlier this month, Dipke said people had lost faith in politics and the election system. He questioned the need to form a political party at a time when public confidence in several institutions was declining.

Speaking to news agency ANI, Dipke said the CJP had no intention of entering electoral politics and alleged that political parties were being split through the use of central agencies.

He also raised concerns over the election process and said the country needed a public movement instead of another political party.

Dipke launches ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign

The latest political offer comes days after Dipke launched the “School Thik Karo” campaign from his native village in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district.

Through the campaign, Dipke has raised concerns over the condition of government schools and called for better basic facilities for students. He has also demanded a cap on private school fees.

Dipke urged sarpanches and parents to take up what he described as their “social and moral responsibility” to ensure better facilities for children.

In a video message shared on social media, he alleged that government schools in villages had been neglected for decades and questioned why children in rural areas continued to lack facilities available to students in larger cities.

Dipke is currently leading what he describes as a pressure group seeking to raise public issues and hold the government accountable.