Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) national co-convener Ashutosh Ranka met Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow on Thursday. The meeting took place at 4pm at the Janeshwar Mishra Trust office, located near the SP headquarters. The two held a closed-door meeting for around an hour and a half.
After the meeting, Ashutosh Ranka left the trust office without speaking to the media. The SP has also not disclosed the reason for the meeting. However, it is being speculated that Akhilesh Yadav discussed issues concerning students, Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha with Ranka. Both are also said to have agreed to raise issues related to education.
When Ranka was attacked during the ‘Fix the Schools’ campaign in Rajasthan last month, Akhilesh Yadav had also raised the issue publicly.
Warning to UP government over examination paper leaks
Following Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation on July 25, Ranka had warned the Uttar Pradesh government from Jantar Mantar. After the protest concluded, he said, “If paper leak incidents do not stop in Uttar Pradesh, there will be an even bigger movement there.”
CJP co-convener Ashutosh left after a meeting that lasted about an hour and a half. He did not speak to the media.
Why is the meeting considered important?
Political analysts believe the meeting between the two leaders is significant for three reasons.
1. Developments after the Bagru violence
A CJP delegation was attacked in the Bagru area of Jaipur, Rajasthan, on August 21. Akhilesh Yadav reacted strongly to the incident, condemning the attack and targeting the Rajasthan government.
2. Support from Dimple Yadav
The SP has provided direct support during recent CJP movements. During the protest held on July 20, Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav not only participated but was also seen at the forefront during the police lathi-charge.
3. Alliance and shared issues
Amid emerging political equations, the closed-door meeting is being viewed as a possible attempt to create a joint opposition front on youth issues, irregularities in competitive examinations and matters of public interest.
The sudden one-and-a-half-hour meeting has fuelled speculation in political circles over whether the CJP and SP are preparing to launch a major joint movement on a significant issue, or whether it signals the beginning of a new political equation.
Several SP MPs, including Dimple Yadav, participated in the protest at Jantar Mantar on July 20.
What happened during the Bagru violence in Jaipur?
Ashutosh Ranka and his associates were attacked in Jaipur on August 21. Ranka had arrived at 10am to inspect the Government Primary School in Rampura Kanwarpura, Sitapura. Villagers allegedly beat them and chased them away, while their vehicles were also pelted with stones. Village women reportedly threw soil at the female supporters accompanying Ranka.
Ranka accused BJP workers of carrying out the assault. He said the attack resulted in vehicle windows and mobile phones being damaged, a woman being assaulted and her shirt being torn, while one member of the team suffered a fractured hand.
Villagers beat up CJP co-convener Ashutosh Ranka (in the red circle) and his associates and drove them away.
Who is Ashutosh Ranka?
Ashutosh Ranka is a young socio-political activist and the national co-convener of the CJP. Originally from Jaipur, Rajasthan, he holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics (LSE).
Before entering active politics, Ranka worked at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. He later left his corporate career to work on issues related to education system reform. Before joining the CJP, he was also associated with the intellectual wing of the Aam Aadmi Party.
In June 2026, he was appointed the CJP’s chief national co-convener. He has been the main face of the 36-day protest at Jantar Mantar against irregularities in the NEET examination and the ‘Fix Schools’ campaign in Rajasthan.
CJP formed following CJI Suryakant’s remark
The CJP was formed following a statement by Chief Justice Suryakant regarding the country’s youth. During a hearing on May 15, CJI Suryakant reportedly referred to unemployed youth as ‘cockroaches’. He said some unemployed young people were like cockroaches who later became media personnel, social media users or RTI activists and began attacking the system.
The bench comprising the CJI and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by a lawyer seeking Senior Advocate status. While reprimanding the lawyer, the bench reportedly said that society already had parasites who attacked the system.
Following the remarks, Abhijit Dipke launched the Cockroach Janta Party in the US on May 16. Accounts were created on X and Instagram. On May 22, an online petition was filed on the party’s website demanding the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. More than 8 lakh people signed the petition.
Violent protests took place during the Parliament march on July 20. Dharmendra Pradhan resigned on July 25. Following this, the CJP launched the ‘Fix Schools’ campaign, which is currently being conducted across the country.
