We The Leaders (WTL) founder K. Annamalai has clarified his position on the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a proxy of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), after facing backlash from his own supporters over his remarks backing the group’s questions and criticism of the police action against its leaders.
Speaking at a meeting with WTL members in Hosur on 22 October 2026, Annamalai said his organisation would not support CJP “all the time”, stressing that their goals were entirely different. However, he maintained that CJP had the right to protest and insisted that any action against its members must follow due process of law.
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The clarification comes days after Annamalai sparked controversy by expressing support for the issues raised by CJP, despite disagreeing with its methods of protest and what he described as its “antics”.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Annamalai had said he “completely support[s] CJP in terms of the questions they want to raise.” He argued that the government was responsible for answering those questions and criticised the Delhi Police’s handling of the case involving CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, whose judicial custody was recently extended in connection with a trespassing case linked to Jantar Mantar.
Annamalai had warned that prolonged incarceration would strengthen the leaders rather than weaken them, accusing the police of “doing a real disservice” and taking the law into their hands.
Annamalai Says WTL Has Different Goals From CJP
Facing criticism over his initial remarks, Annamalai sought to distinguish his support for the right to protest from any blanket endorsement of CJP.
He said, “Whenever Prime Minister Modi does something good, we have always said, He is a wonderful Prime Minister; let him continue doing good, and we will support him. At the same time, there is a group called the CJP—young people who are actively protesting and raising issues. If you ask whether We The Leaders would support the CJP all the time, the answer is no—we never would support them all the time. The reason is that our goals are entirely different from theirs. However, does the CJP have the right to protest in India? Yes, they do. Similarly, does the DMK have the right to protest? Yes, they do. Think of a spring: the more you compress it, the more forcefully it will rebound. Those in power must understand this.”
He then criticised the Congress over its objections to electoral rolls after the elections had concluded and a new government had taken office.
“Currently, a group within the CJP is bringing up certain issues for their own reasons. My point remains the same: when the electoral rolls were being revised—a process that took place—where were the members of the Congress party? Were they all just fast asleep at home? Booth agents from all political parties went door-to-door back then—where were you sleeping? The election took place, the results were declared, a new Chief Minister was sworn in, ministers were appointed, and they have been in office for six months—only now do they come forward claiming the electoral roll is flawed? We will point this out, too. Why are you staging this drama today? If you have an issue with a specific individual, then address it with that individual. Don’t go around claiming that the Supreme Court is flawed, the Election Commission is flawed, or that everyone else is wrong. We live in this country too—it’s not just for you. Our children also rely on these very institutions. We must speak up about this.”
‘Follow Due Process Of Law’ If CJP Members Are Arrested
Annamalai reiterated that his objection was to alleged violations of due process, rather than to lawful action against those who had committed offences.
“If you are going to arrest students—such as those from the CJP—then follow the due process of law; send them to jail if they have committed a wrong, but ensure that the action is taken in the proper, legal manner—that is what our movement stands for.”
He also described WTL as a movement that would avoid aligning itself exclusively with one ideology, leader or cause.
“We find ourselves in a position where we must remain balanced, much like the needle at the center of a weighing scale; this is both a necessity and the need of the hour. We must understand this clearly: our movement belongs to everyone. If we were to limit ourselves to a single ideology, a single leader, or a single cause, we would shrink. We are not here in Tamil Nadu to shrink; we are here to expand—to grow like a banyan tree. Every single day, we must bring new people into the fold.”
Backlash Over Initial Support For CJP
Annamalai’s initial remarks had triggered criticism among sections of his own supporters, with social media commentary portraying him as having “come out in support of cockroaches”. His older fans turned critics argued that his position was undermining his image as a prominent BJP face in Tamil Nadu by appearing to side with a group viewed by many of his supporters as anti-government.
Others defended his statement, arguing that he had supported the questions raised by CJP rather than its methods or political identity, and had not endorsed the group itself.
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