TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien said Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee have expressed full support
May 25, 2026: All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee have expressed full support for the viral digital movement Cockroach Janta Party, according to TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien. In a post on X, O’Brien said both leaders remain focused on “fighting the good fight” and added that they had expressed their “fondness and full support for Cockroaches.”
The statement comes as Mamata Banerjee continues holding strategy and review meetings with senior party leaders following the TMC’s defeat in the recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The Cockroach Janta Party, founded by Boston-based Abhijeet Dipke, emerged as a major online sensation after controversy erupted over remarks made by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant. The comments were widely interpreted online as comparing unemployed youth to “cockroaches,” though the CJI later clarified that his remarks were directed at individuals using fake degrees.
The CJP quickly gained traction on social media through satire, memes and digital campaigns focused on unemployment, education and governance issues. The movement recently launched a campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak controversy. Dipke has also alleged a crackdown on the movement after several social media accounts linked to the group became inaccessible, including the withholding of its original X handle in India. The organisation later resurfaced online under a new account called “Cockroach is Back.”