A new social media-driven campaign calling itself the E20 Janta Party has rapidly gained traction online, days after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) ended its nationwide protest that culminated in the resignation of former Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The latest campaign has shifted the spotlight to the Centre's E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy and is demanding greater consumer choice over fuel options.
The group, which describes itself as an independent citizens' movement rather than a political organisation, has used social media to question the mandatory rollout of E20 fuel and has called for Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari to resign over the policy. In recent posts, the outfit has insisted that its objective is not to seek subsidies or the withdrawal of ethanol blending, but to ensure motorists have the option of purchasing 100% petrol alongside E20 fuel.
The campaign has witnessed rapid growth across platforms. As of Monday, one of the prominent E20 Janta Party accounts had around 49,000 followers on X, while its Instagram page had crossed 170,000 followers, reflecting a sharp increase in engagement over the past 24 hours.
In a statement shared online, the group said it was "an independent citizens' movement focused on raising issues that affect the common people," adding that it did not support any political party. It appealed for "accountability, transparency and the right of consumers to be heard," while urging the government to allow motorists to choose between ethanol-blended and conventional petrol.
Another social media account using the same name has announced a Parliament march on August 4, claiming that taxi operators, commercial vehicle owners and tourist transport operators from across the country would participate in a protest against E20 fuel and the mandatory installation of GPS tracking and panic button systems in commercial vehicles. The organisers have said the march would be led by Sanjay Samrat, although the scale of participation remains unclear.
The campaign has drawn comparisons with the meteoric rise of the Cockroach Janta Party, which began as an online satirical movement before evolving into a nationwide protest over alleged irregularities in public examinations. The CJP's agitation eventually resulted in the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan and attracted millions of supporters across social media platforms.
Whether the E20 Janta Party can replicate that momentum remains uncertain. Unlike the CJP, which rallied around examination reforms affecting millions of students, the new campaign is centred on fuel policy and consumer rights. Even so, its rapid rise underscores how social media continues to shape public discourse and mobilise support around policy issues in India.