Abhijeet Dipke Uses ‘Fixed Match’ Analogy To Question Opposition’s Election Strategy Amid ECI Row

Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke has urged Opposition parties to stop contesting elections if they believe the electoral process is being rigged, arguing that continued participation lends legitimacy to a system they themselves allege is flawed.

Dipke made the remarks amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Election Commission and allegations of irregularities in electoral-roll management.

Dipke Compares Elections To A ‘Fixed Match’

Drawing an analogy with cricket, Dipke compared the Opposition’s continued participation in elections to playing a match that is allegedly fixed.

He argued that in such a contest, not every opportunity would necessarily be manipulated, allowing the match to continue until the final stages and creating the impression of a genuine competition.

Dipke further claimed that Opposition parties could be allowed to win some seats or elections — what he described as “the crumbs” — to encourage them to keep participating and maintain the appearance of a real electoral contest.

“When you continue to participate in rigged elections, you legitimise these elections and help maintain the illusion that they are free and fair,” Dipke said in a post on X.

‘What Kind Of Existence Are You Trying To Protect?’

Dipke also questioned the Opposition’s decision to continue participating in elections despite its repeated allegations of electoral manipulation.

He suggested that some parties may fear losing political relevance if they stop contesting elections.

“Maybe you keep contesting because you fear that if you don’t, you will stop existing,” Dipke said, while questioning what kind of political existence parties were trying to protect.

He also referred to allegations of elected representatives being “poached” and political parties being split, arguing that Opposition parties should take a consistent position if they believe the electoral system is compromised.

“You cannot keep saying the game is rigged while continuing to play it,” he said, adding that Opposition parties should prioritise the democratic system over their political interests.

Rahul Gandhi Also Demands CEC’s Resignation

Dipke’s remarks came a day after the CJP demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and threatened a nationwide agitation if he did not step down within 48 hours.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has also called for Kumar’s resignation while repeating his allegations of “vote-chori”.

Gandhi has cited reported objections raised by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi, describing their decision to record objections as significant.

He also urged the CEC to reconsider his position and “turn approver”.

What Triggered The Latest ECI Controversy?

The latest political dispute follows an Indian Express investigation which reported that Election Commissioners Sandhu and Joshi had formally raised objections at least 14 times over a period of 10 months regarding decisions and orders that they allegedly said were taken without their knowledge.

The reported objections covered several aspects of electoral-roll management, including the addition, deletion and restoration of voter names, changes involving Form 6, and access to the Election Commission’s electoral-roll database.

The report also raised questions about the increasing centralisation of the electoral-roll system.

However, the Election Commission has rejected suggestions of an institutional split among the commissioners. The poll panel said differences of opinion, written observations and internal checks are part of the decision-making process within a multi-member constitutional body.

The ECI has maintained that its final decisions, including those concerning the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), were taken unanimously.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susmita Modak

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Always love to raise the unraised matter. In a world of worries, I am always ready to come over my comfort zone and taking the step ahead of spreading awareness.

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