3 min readNew DelhiAug 9, 2026 02:01 PM IST
First published on: Aug 9, 2026 at 12:29 PM IST
A journalist, an engineer, a lawyer, two chartered accountants, an entrepreneur and a hotel-management graduate may not sound like the usual line-up for a youth-focused political campaign. But these are among the 12 people who will now steer the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) as it seeks to take its campaign beyond the streets and expand its footprint across the country.
The newly announced team brings together professionals from journalism, technology, law, public policy, finance and business – a mix that the organisation says reflects the kind of young, professionally diverse leadership it hopes to build.
The announcement came days after the CJP ended its 36-day protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar following the acceptance of its key demands. At a two-day meeting in Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, the group unveiled its organisational structure for the next six months and reiterated that it has no plans to form a political party.
The 12 members, along with their qualifications and responsibilities, are:
Abhijeet Dipke (30): A resident of Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra, Dipke holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Pune and a master’s degree in Public Relations from Boston University, USA.
Role: Founder and National Convener
Ashutosh Ranka (30): A resident of Jaipur, Rajasthan, Ranka holds a B.Tech degree from IIT Kanpur and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the London School of Economics.
Role: Co-Convener
Saurav Das (27): A resident of Delhi, Das holds a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.
Role: Co-Convener
Ajinkya Shinde (35): A resident of Latur, Maharashtra, Shinde holds a B.Tech degree from Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU), Lonere, Raigad, Maharashtra.
Role: National Organisation In-Charge
Deepak Baliyan (26): A resident of Alwar, Rajasthan, Baliyan holds a master’s degree in Political Science from Bharatpur. He comes from a farmer’s family and has been actively associated with agrarian movements.
Role: Organisation Co-In-Charge and Head of the North Zone
Aafreen Nawaz (34): A resident of Bengaluru, Karnataka, Nawaz holds an MBA and is currently an entrepreneur.
Role: National Secretary
Vijay Reddy Mallangi (30): A resident of Hyderabad, Telangana, Mallangi holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from Osmania University and a master’s degree in Applied Science from Columbia University.
Role: Media Lead and Head of the South Zone
Ratna Singh (31): A resident of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Singh holds an LL.B. degree from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi.
Role: Legal Affairs Lead
Vaishnavi Gaur (29): A resident of Dehradun, Uttarakhand, Gaur holds a BA LL.B. (Hons.) degree from Panjab University, Chandigarh.
Role: Research and Policy Lead
Rohan Deshpande (31): A resident of Mumbai, Deshpande holds a degree in Hotel Management from IHM Mumbai.
Role: Technology Lead
Yogesh Ingale (33): A resident of Pune, Maharashtra, Ingale is a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Role: Finance Lead and Head of the West Zone
Ankit Bharadwaj (35): A resident of Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, Bharadwaj is a Chartered Accountant (CA).
Role: In-Charge and Head of the East and North-East Zones
The group unveiled its organisational structure for the next six months and reiterated that it has no plans to form a political party. (Express Photo) 
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