Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Aug 18: 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, saying the young leader should enter politics to fulfil Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's dream.

Dipke has not responded to the offer so far. The CJP founder has previously ruled out entering electoral politics, saying people have lost faith in political parties and the election system and that the country needs a public movement instead.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Athawale described Dipke as an Ambedkarite and said his energy and youth could strengthen both society and the RPI (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 the government believes that those who commit wrongdoing should be punished, appearing to refer to the CJP and student-led protests at Jantar Mantar last month. The protests were linked to demands over the NEET-UG 2026 paper leak allegations and other examination-related irregularities and preceded the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

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

Dipke, however, has previously made clear that he does not want to turn the CJP into a political party or contest elections.

Earlier this month, he said people had lost faith in politics and the election system and questioned the usefulness of forming another political party when public confidence in institutions was declining.

He said the CJP had no intention of entering electoral politics and instead wanted to continue as a movement.

Dipke also alleged that political parties were being split through the use of central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation, while claiming that votes were being deleted during elections.

He argued that the country needed a “public movement” at a time when people were losing faith in the judiciary, electoral system and media.

The 30-year-old CJP founder has meanwhile continued his activities as a pressure group against the government.

On Saturday, Dipke launched the “School Thik Karo” campaign from his native village in Maharashtra's Hingoli district, raising concerns over the condition of government schools and calling for a cap on private school fees.

He said poor students were suffering because of government neglect and urged sarpanches and parents to take up the social and moral responsibility of improving basic facilities for children.

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

The latest invitation from Athawale comes as Dipke continues to position the CJP as a pressure movement rather than an electoral organisation.