Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday expressed support for civil society members and youth organisations protesting against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, but did not specifically mention the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which has emerged as one of the prominent groups leading the latest demonstrations. In a post on X, Kharge listed three “non-negotiable” demands of the Congress: Kumar’s resignation, cancellation of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and a return to conducting elections using ballot papers.

Kharge said Congress workers and INDIA bloc partners were already on the streets over the three issues and added that the party stood with civil society members and youth organisations campaigning on them in different parts of the country. His statement came amid growing protests targeting the Election Commission over the SIR exercise and demands for Kumar to step down. The Election Commission has maintained that its decisions and orders follow established statutory procedures and carry legal sanction.

The CJP, led by founder Abhijeet Dipke and co-conveners including Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, has been at the forefront of the recent protests against Kumar. The group has demanded his resignation and raised questions about the SIR process, including the handling of electoral-roll exclusions and the centralisation of voter data. It has also called for an independent investigation into decisions taken during the revision exercise.

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The group’s latest mobilisation follows its earlier campaign around examination-related issues, during which it organised large protests in Delhi. The CJP subsequently said it would continue operating as a pressure group and shifted its focus towards electoral issues, including alleged irregularities in the SIR process. The organisation has announced another major protest in Delhi on October 10, with its leaders calling for continued public mobilisation.

Kharge’s decision not to name the CJP comes despite the organisation’s visible role in the current demonstrations. The Congress has previously acknowledged student and youth participation in protests while avoiding explicitly giving political recognition to the CJP. According to reports, other INDIA bloc parties, including the Trinamool Congress, CPI(M) and Shiv Sena (UBT), have expressed support for the group, while the Congress has maintained a more cautious position.

The political and civil society campaign against Kumar is unfolding alongside a wider dispute over the Election Commission’s handling of electoral-roll revisions. Kharge’s three demands place the Congress directly behind the calls for Kumar’s resignation and cancellation of SIR, while also seeking elections through ballot papers. Meanwhile, the CJP has said its protests will continue, with its next major Delhi mobilisation scheduled for October 10.

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