A satirical online political campaign that gained massive traction among young social media users has sparked controversy after its X account was withheld in India following a sharp rise in its digital popularity.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), known for its meme-driven political commentary and criticism of unemployment, exam paper leaks and governance issues, claimed that the action came only hours after its Instagram following surpassed that of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The X account of satirical political campaign Cockroach Janta Party was blocked in India “in response to a legal demand”.

The social media campaign, which began on Saturday in response to comments made by Chief Justice Surya Kant, describes itself as a “political front of the youth, by the youth, for the youth”.

The development was confirmed by CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who also alleged attempts to hack the campaign’s Instagram account. What initially started as a satirical online movement quickly transformed into a major digital phenomenon, particularly among younger users frustrated over issues such as unemployment, examination irregularities and questions of institutional accountability.

It was created by Abhijeet Dipke, a 30-year-old political communications strategist from Pune. Dipke was part of the Aam Aadmi Party’s social media team.

The campaign had garnered 15.5 million followers on Instagram as of Thursday evening, ahead of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s 8.8 million.

The sudden withholding of the account triggered widespread reactions online, with supporters and critics debating questions around satire, political expression and digital censorship.

The episode has also highlighted the growing influence of humour-based political content in shaping online discourse, especially among younger audiences increasingly turning to social media platforms for political engagement.