The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday backed the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s November 1 rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan, bringing two protest campaigns that had remained largely separate for months closer over alleged electoral irregularities.The CJP also repeated its demand for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation over the special intensive revision (SIR) of voter lists, saying it would support organisations fighting for free and fair elections.“Nation above all!” CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted on X while sharing the outfit’s statement.“The fundamental principle of democracy is that people get to choose their government, not that the government gets to choose its voters,” the statement said.It added, “By undermining this very principle through the SIR, Gyanesh Kumar has lost the trust required to oversee free and fair elections. His resignation is therefore necessary to restore the credibility and independence of the Election Commission.”The development follows months of parallel campaigns by the CJP and the Congress. The CJP had also led protests in June and July over paper leaks. The Congress did not join its October 10 Delhi protest, citing its own nationwide agitation. The Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party, Left parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) backed the CJP, while the Aam Aadmi Party and the DMK also extended support.Dipke had maintained that the CJP would stay outside party politics, while arguing that it was not opposed to the INDIA bloc because both campaigns shared a common cause. Rahul Gandhi has also used the phrase “all protests are one”.Rahul had invited Dipke to tea with INDIA bloc leaders and civil society groups, though he did not attend. He also criticised the arrests of CJP leaders Saurav Das, Ashutosh Ranka and Ajinkya Shinde after they tried to enter Jantar Mantar following its denotification as a protest site.The November 1 rally will be held at Ramlila Maidan, one of three grounds named by the Delhi Police for large demonstrations after Jantar Mantar was denotified. Congress MP Jebi Mather said the rally followed consultations with INDIA bloc parties and that there were no differences over the demand for the CEC’s resignation.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has asked party MPs to remain in Delhi from October 30 to November 1. The police have granted permission for the rally from 10 am to 5 pm, subject to conditions.