The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has begun its efforts to expand its presence in Assam and the Northeast through its “Fix the Schools” campaign, with party leaders claiming that more than 20,000 people in Assam have already applied for membership.
According to CJP leaders, the party’s first public meeting in Assam will be held in Guwahati on September 27, where its ideology and future plans for the state will be outlined.
Members of the party’s central committee, including Ankit Bhardwaj, Akash Prem and Varun Agrawal, are currently touring Assam and working alongside regional political groups such as Raijor Dal and the Assam Jatiya Parishad. During their visit, they participated in protests related to Guwahati’s flood situation and paid tribute to cultural icon Zubeen Garg.
As part of the “Fix the Schools” campaign, CJP leaders, accompanied by Raijor Dal leader Gyanashree Bora, visited several schools in Chandubi and Palashbari to assess conditions on the ground. The party alleged that in a school located within the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council area, a shortage of teachers has forced students from economically weaker families to contribute ₹20 each to raise around ₹3,000 per month for hiring an outside teacher. The party also claimed that many schools lack functional toilets and other basic infrastructure.
Ankit Bhardwaj said the party would continue travelling across Assam to document what it described as government negligence and administrative shortcomings in public services. Akash Prem stated that the party was in the process of contacting thousands of people who had expressed an interest in joining CJP.
The party also announced that it would expand its nationwide “Fix the Election Commission” campaign to Assam amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
Speaking on the issue, Bhardwaj alleged that more than 13 crore names had been excluded from draft electoral rolls across 30 states and Union Territories during the SIR process, affecting an estimated 13-14 percent of the electorate. He argued that voting rights form a crucial part of India’s constitutional framework and that the Election Commission must remain accountable to citizens.
Akash Prem said that if the Election Commission functioned according to the wishes of the ruling establishment rather than independently, its credibility would be undermined. The party demanded that the voter deletion process be suspended and that the January 2025 electoral rolls be restored until verification is completed.
CJP has also called for the repeal of the 2023 law governing the appointment of Election Commissioners and has sought a more participatory and transparent selection process.
The party reiterated its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, warning that if he does not step down within 48 hours, protests would be intensified across the country. According to CJP leaders, the agitation will continue until transparency and accountability in the SIR process are ensured and all eligible voters who were allegedly excluded are restored to the electoral rolls.
