Who is Ajinkya Shinde? CJP leader takes charge of Delhi protest after Dipke’s detention

Ajinkya Shinde, the national organisation in-charge of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), will now lead the party’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi after its founder Abhijeet Dipke and two other leaders were detained by Delhi Police on Saturday, according to the party. Shinde, 35, is from Latur in Maharashtra and holds a BTech degree from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University (DBATU) in Lonere, Raigad. He was appointed national organisation in-charge by Dipke in August and has since taken part in the party’s campaign activities and protests.

Dipke had recorded a video anticipating his possible detention. In the video, he said Shinde would lead the demonstration until he, party spokesperson Saurav Das and co-convener Ashutosh Ranka were released. The three leaders had travelled from Mumbai to Delhi for the proposed demonstration against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The CJP said they were detained inside their aircraft shortly after it landed in the national capital.

Who is Ajinkya Shinde?

Shinde is a CJP functionary from Latur, Maharashtra, who has taken on a national organisational role within the party. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, located in Lonere in Raigad district.


Dipke announced Shinde’s appointment as the party’s national organisation in-charge in August. The role has placed him at the centre of the organisation’s activities, including protests and public campaigns. Earlier this month, Shinde organised the CJP’s agitation in Mumbai, where he emerged as one of the prominent faces of the demonstration. He has also been associated with the party’s ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign, which focuses on improving the condition of government schools across India.

Ajinkya Shinde leading the Delhi protest?

Shinde’s role in the Delhi demonstration follows the detention of Dipke, Das and Ranka. In his pre-recorded message, Dipke asked supporters to follow Shinde’s leadership if the three were detained, making him the designated face of the protest in their absence.

Shinde reiterated the CJP’s demand for Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and called for criminal proceedings against the Chief Election Commissioner. He also demanded that the 2025 voter lists be frozen and that the 2023 law governing the appointment of election commissioners be repealed.

These demands form part of the party’s opposition to alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, including concerns it has raised about the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process and changes involving Form 6, the application used to register new voters. The allegations and demands reflect the CJP’s position and should not be treated as established findings of wrongdoing.

Abhijeet Dipke, Sourav Das and Ashutosh Ranka detained?

The CJP claimed that Delhi Police detained Dipke, Das and Ranka inside their aircraft soon after it arrived from Mumbai. A video shared by the party showed Dipke addressing police personnel who had entered the plane. According to the account shared by the organisation, police personnel told the leaders they did not have permission to hold the proposed protest at Jantar Mantar. Dipke was heard telling the officers, “We are here to be arrested, come and arrest us.”

The party condemned the reported detentions, alleging that the action was planned to prevent its leaders from reaching the protest site. It described the incident as a violation of freedom of movement and demanded their immediate and unconditional release.

The proposed demonstration was directed against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the party’s allegations concerning voter-list manipulation and electoral procedures. The CJP said Shinde would continue to lead the protest until the detained leaders were released.