‘Assam constituency boundaries redrawn to help Himanta win election’: CJP

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a nationwide protest from October 2 against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, reiterating its demand for his resignation over allegations concerning the functioning of the Election Commission and the electoral process.

Speaking in Guwahati, CJP National Spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said the organisation had given Kumar a deadline to step down and would now intensify its campaign.

“For 48 hours, the ball was in Gyanesh Kumar's court; now, the ball is in CJP's court. We will launch a nationwide protest starting October 2, and we will not back down until Gyanesh Kumar resigns,” Ranka said.

CJP had earlier announced that it would begin its nationwide agitation from Mumbai on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti, if Kumar did not resign. The organisation has also raised objections over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanded changes in the functioning of the poll panel.

Ranka also levelled allegations against the Election Commission and accused the CEC of betraying voters.

“When CJP takes up a cause, it sees it through to victory. Gyanesh Kumar has betrayed 130 million people of this country,” he said.

The CJP spokesperson also targeted the Assam government and alleged that the delimitation of Assembly constituencies in the state was carried out in a manner that benefited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“The Assembly constituency boundaries were redrawn in Assam so that Himanta Biswa Sarma could win the election here,” Ranka alleged.

The CJP's campaign against Kumar comes amid a wider controversy surrounding the functioning of the Election Commission. 

An investigation by The Indian Express reported that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections on multiple occasions over decisions relating to electoral-roll management and the SIR exercise. The Election Commission has rejected suggestions of an institutional breakdown and maintained that differences and internal checks are part of the functioning of a multi-member constitutional body.

CJP had earlier demanded Kumar's resignation, a halt to the SIR exercise and restoration of the January 2025 electoral rolls, besides changes to the law governing the Election Commission.

The October 2 protest plan has since faced a hurdle in Mumbai, with CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke saying on September 27 that Mumbai Police had denied permission for the proposed demonstration. Dipke subsequently warned of a “Jail Bharo Andolan” if the organisation was prevented from exercising what it described as its right to protest.

Ranka was also detained along with several CJP leaders and volunteers in Guwahati ahead of a planned regional meeting, according to reports. He was subsequently released and said the incident would not deter the organisation from pursuing its October 2 protest plan.