Opposition urged to quit elections, warns participation legitimises rigged polls, says Dipke

Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, used a cricket-match analogy to criticize opposition parties for staying in elections despite repeated claims of electoral fraud. He argued that by contesting, they hand the system a veneer of legitimacy, receiving only “crumbs” of victory while voters are misled into thinking a genuine contest exists. Dipke called on the opposition to cease participation and to prioritize the nation’s democracy over their own survival, warning that continued involvement sustains the illusion of free and fair polls.

His comments came a day after the CJP demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and threatened a nationwide agitation if he did not step down within 48 hours. Rahul Gandhi also demanded the CEC’s resignation, citing proof of vote-theft in recent elections. The controversy follows one outlet's investigation that revealed internal objections by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi to several decisions, though the Election Commission dismissed claims of an institutional split.