Keralam Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Saturday alleged that the emerging “Cockroach Janta Party” trend on social media was part of a cross-border influence operation intended to destabilise India and target the Union government.
In a post on social media platform X, Chandrasekhar claimed the campaign was being amplified through manipulation tactics and foreign influence mechanisms.
“The #CockroachParty gambit is yet another classic cross-border ‘influence operation’ targeting India and PM @narendramodi govt – designed by vested interests to destabilise India – helped along by elements in our ‘opposition’,” Chandrasekhar said.
He further spoke about technology-driven misinformation campaigns and the role of online influence systems.
“In the age of social media, bots, AI and its weaponisation, influence operations are dangerous, effective ways to destabilise by building fake, seemingly organic narratives. I have always maintained that India’s rise and its modernisation under PM @narendramodi will be resented by many countries and there will be many hurdles created for our continued rise,” he stated.
The #CockroachParty gambit is yet another classic cross border "influence operation" targetting India and PM @narendramodi govt – designed by vested interests to destabilize India – helped along by elements in our "opposition"
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar 🇮🇳 (@RajeevRC_X) May 23, 2026
In the age of social media, bots, AI and its…
Chandrasekhar also referred to major international developments and economic pressures faced over recent years.
“Starting with covid, worlds economies, even the biggest ones, including India, have had to face major challenges – pandemic, Russia-Ukraine war, US-Iran war, Energy shocks, Chinese aggression – but through all these crises, PM Modi has kept all Indians protected, safe and resilient and kept our economy growing. #NeverForget. That is the mettle of true leadership, and our united response to countries and the world’s challenges is the right thing to do today,” he said.
The BJP leader additionally criticised opposition voices and foreign interests.
“No cockroach, No petty Indian opposition politician, No Modi hating joker, No foreign vested interest can derail our collective resolve to build a better future for all Indians #ViksitBharat,” Chandrasekhar added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda criticised reported action taken against accounts associated with the Cockroach Janta Party trend.
“I heard today that their X account has been banned. After demonetisation and the vote ban, the BJP has now implemented a ‘cockroach ban.’ If someone criticises you on social media in this manner, you have their accounts shut down. This is completely inappropriate in a democracy, but that is how things are running,” Hooda said.
Hooda also argued that the trend reflected dissatisfaction among younger citizens.
“I believe this movement is a reflection of the youth, the deep-seated anger among them, and the flawed system the BJP has created that has completely compromised the governance structure,” he said.
He further cautioned against attempts by political organisations to appropriate the campaign.
“If this gets caught up in the Aam Aadmi Party’s or someone else’s trap, or if only one political entity tries to hijack it, the movement will simply fizzle out and die,” Hooda added.
The social media trend has since become the centre of a wider political exchange, with competing narratives emerging over whether it represents public sentiment, coordinated online influence efforts, or political messaging in an increasingly digital public sphere.
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