Delhi CM Rekha Gupta Says CJP Acting Like AAP’s B-Team, Dares It to Protest in Punjab

Rekha Gupta Accuses CJP of Supporting AAP’s Political Agenda

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday accused the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) of acting as a political proxy for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). She questioned why the group was protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi but was not organising similar demonstrations over issues in states governed by opposition parties.

Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, Gupta challenged CJP to stage a protest in Punjab following the killing of an anti-drug activist in the state. She alleged that the organisation was focusing on issues aligned with the AAP’s political agenda rather than addressing problems elsewhere.

“Why do they act like the B-Team of AAP and work only on agendas suited to the party?” Gupta asked, according to reports.

Her comments came as CJP remained in the spotlight following its demonstrations demanding accountability from the Election Commission and the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. <Cite refs={["turn585512news0","turn585512news15"]}/>

Punjab Activist’s Killing Becomes a Point of Political Debate

Gupta referred to the killing of Parvinder Singh, popularly known as Jhota, an anti-drug activist who was shot dead in Mansa district of Punjab on October 13.

Singh was known for speaking out against drug abuse and the alleged illegal sale of addictive substances through chemist shops. His killing became a central point in Gupta’s challenge to CJP, with the Delhi chief minister asking why the group was not taking its protest to Punjab.

Gupta argued that organisations raising concerns about governance and public welfare should also address issues in states where opposition parties are in power. She questioned whether CJP’s demonstrations were being driven by broader public concerns or by political considerations.

Her remarks were political allegations directed at CJP and the AAP. They do not, on their own, establish that the organisation is acting under the AAP’s direction. <Cite refs={["turn585512news0","turn585512search11"]}/>

CJP’s Protests Against Chief Election Commissioner

CJP has drawn national attention through its protests against the Election Commission and its demand for the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The organisation has raised concerns about electoral transparency and the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.

The demonstrations have taken place amid a wider political dispute over the process of revising voter lists and allegations of irregularities raised by opposition parties. The Election Commission has maintained that its procedures operate within the applicable legal framework.

The protests have also faced restrictions from the authorities in Delhi. Security deployments and police action surrounding demonstrations at Jantar Mantar and other locations have become part of the wider debate over the right to protest and the management of public spaces.

Gupta criticised the opposition-led demonstrations, arguing that they were creating difficulties for residents and businesses. The protesters, meanwhile, have presented their campaign as an effort to seek accountability from a constitutional institution. <Cite refs={["turn585512search8","turn585512news15"]}/>

Delhi CM Defends Special Intensive Revision

Gupta also defended the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, arguing that such exercises were not new and had been conducted in India under governments led by different political parties.

She referred to a previous revision exercise in Delhi in 2002 and questioned why opposition parties were raising objections to the current process. She also pointed out that SIR-related exercises were taking place in other states, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and asked whether the opposition would oppose the process if it were conducted under governments led by those parties.

The Opposition has raised concerns about the possible exclusion of eligible voters and the transparency of electoral-roll revisions. These concerns remain part of the broader political and legal debate surrounding SIR.

The key issue is whether the revision process adequately protects eligible voters while ensuring the accuracy of electoral rolls. Political claims on either side need to be distinguished from findings supported by evidence and decisions made through the relevant legal procedures. <Cite refs={["turn585512news15","turn585512search12"]}/>

Gupta Alleges Economic Losses From Delhi Protests

The Delhi chief minister also alleged that demonstrations and sit-ins organised by opposition parties had caused substantial economic losses and disrupted daily activities in the national capital.

Gupta said traders and members of the public had faced difficulties because of the protests. She accused the Congress, AAP and other opposition groups of using demonstrations to advance their political interests.

However, her statements about the scale of the economic impact were not accompanied in the cited reports by a detailed independent estimate. The extent of any losses would require separate evidence, such as business data, traffic assessments or official estimates.

The remarks reflect the continuing dispute between the BJP-led Delhi government and opposition groups over the balance between public order, economic activity and the right to peaceful assembly. <Cite refs={["turn585512news15","turn585512search12"]}/>

AAP and CJP’s Relationship Under Political Scrutiny

The allegation that CJP functions as the AAP’s “B-team” has featured in political exchanges involving leaders from different parties. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann previously acknowledged that CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke had worked with the AAP’s social media team before leaving the party, but denied that the AAP controlled or was associated with CJP.

CJP has described itself as a pressure group focused on public issues, including education and student concerns, and its leaders have rejected claims that it serves as a proxy for another political party.

Past association between an individual and a political party does not, by itself, prove that a separate organisation is acting on that party’s instructions. Establishing such a relationship would require further evidence.

Gupta’s latest remarks have therefore added another dimension to the political dispute, linking CJP’s anti-CEC campaign with wider questions about political affiliations, protest priorities and accountability across states. <Cite refs={["turn585512search13","turn585512news15"]}/>

Conclusion

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s challenge to CJP to protest in Punjab has intensified the political exchange surrounding the organisation’s demonstrations against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. By referring to the killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh, Gupta questioned why CJP was focusing on Delhi while, in her view, neglecting pressing issues in opposition-governed states.

CJP’s political affiliations and the allegations surrounding its relationship with the AAP remain contested. Meanwhile, the wider debate over SIR, electoral transparency and the right to protest continues, with the parties offering sharply different interpretations of the issues.