Same demand, same target: Why Congress is staying away from CJP’s protest against Gyanesh Kumar

CJP’s demonstration against the chief election commissioner has received support from other Opposition parties, including the AAP and Left groups.

CJP Protest 2.0: The Congress has chosen to distance itself from the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, despite both campaigning on the same issue. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to attend the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ student outreach programme in Chennai on Saturday (October 10), while CJP protesters are being detained while attempting to gather at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

While several other Opposition groups, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Left parties, have backed the CJP's agitation, the Congress is keeping its distance. This decision coincides with the party's ongoing campaign against alleged electoral roll irregularities and its demand for Election Commission (EC) accountability.
Rahul is absent from the national capital because of a previously scheduled visit to Chennai, which Congress leaders say was planned well in advance. There, the Leader of the

Opposition will interact with students through his party’s youth outreach initiative.

By organising its own protst, the Congress keeps its political messaging distinct from CJP’s street mobilisation. The party has consistently led demonstrations over alleged voter-list irregularities, positioning the issue at the centre of its attack on the government and the EC.

Congress wants Rahul in the lead?

One explanation for the Congress’s distance from the CJP is the importance it places on Rahul’s leadership in challenging electoral irregularities. The party has sought to establish him as the principal opposition voice on the matter by organising its own demonstrations around his interventions.

Political observers are of the view that the Congress wants to retain control over the agitation's messaging and public face. Joining a protest led by a separate movement could yield greater visibility to that group on an issue the Congress has raised for months.

In contrast, the CJP has a distinct organisational profile, having emerged as a youth-led movement that uses street protests to demand action against public officials. Its demonstrations against the CEC have drawn support from several Opposition groups joining Saturday’s protest.

The Congress is also adhering to its own political timetable, utilising rallies, public statements and targeted protests to build its case against alleged electoral malpractice. Party leaders have a clear interest in keeping the agitation strictly under their banner, with Rahul as its most recognisable face.

Why CJP’s protest puts Congress in a bind

The CJP has built its identity through youth mobilisation and public protests, with little history in electoral politics or the organisational structure of an established party. At present, it is demanding CEC Kumar’s resignation.

The Congress has also accused the EC of irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the EC have rejected allegations of politically motivated manipulation.

Nevertheless, the CJP’s protest has established a separate platform for demonstrations against the CEC. Its organisers called for nationwide participation at Jantar Mantar on October 10, following a large gathering at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park earlier in the month.

Joining an agitation organised by an independent group would require the Congress to share the platform with a movement operating outside established political channels. Consequently, the party has chosen to pursue its own protests against the EC.

A separate Opposition mobilisation

The Congress’s stance shows how Opposition parties are taking different approaches in their protests against CEC Kumar. While the AAP and the Left parties joined the CJP’s protest, the Congress opted for its own activities as Rahul continues his student outreach programme outside Delhi.

The party continues to frame alleged electoral irregularities as a major national issue. Rahul has repeatedly raised allegations of voter manipulation, leveraging public meetings and demonstrations to press the case.

Looking ahead to the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has strong incentive to sustain a campaign under its own leadership. Its strategy is to keep electoral rolls and the EC’s conduct on the political agenda through party-led rallies and public outreach.

The immediate test for the Opposition is whether these parallel demonstrations can maintain public attention on their shared demand.

Stay informed on all the latest news, real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world news on Zee News.