CJP founder alleges BJP threats; party denies claims

The founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Abhijit Dipke, has alleged that he received threats from individuals linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including a warning to either join the party or face being shot. The BJP has denied the allegations.

Speaking to reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar on Thursday, Dipke said he was told to join the BJP or risk harm. 'I have received many offers from them (BJP). But I will not join the BJP. If I had wanted to join the BJP, I would have gone earlier,' he said.

Dipke claimed that the threats extended to his family. 'They said we will also deal with your mother and father. We will visit your home and take care of it,' he alleged. He added that he told the alleged threateners that they should be ashamed of threatening a 30-year-old youth, comparing himself to the age of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's grandson.

The BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye rejected the allegations as 'completely false'. 'No one has to be threatened to join the BJP. No such things have to be done,' he said. Upadhye added that while Dipke had conducted a protest from his perspective, that does not give anyone the right to make unsubstantiated claims.

Dipke's comments come amid ongoing protests by his party. The CJP, known for its anti-establishment stance, has been critical of the BJP. The exchange highlights the charged political atmosphere in Maharashtra, where local parties often engage in verbal sparring with the ruling party.

No formal complaint has been filed by Dipke with the police regarding the alleged threats. The matter remains a war of words between the two sides.