New Delhi: If one can channel Gen-Z’s energy toward a constructive process, it can hold tremendous potential, BJP national president Nitin Nabin told a delegation of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) of Nepal, led by chairman Rabi Lamichhane Tuesday, ThePrint has learnt.
“Naturally there was a discussion on the role of Gen-Z, and the RSP president agreed with Nitin Nabin-ji, pointing out that this was how Nepal’s democratic transition occurred,” said a senior BJP leader.
In a press statement issued by the party, Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge, foreign affairs department of the BJP, said both leaders also discussed the growing role and potential of Gen-Z in politics, particularly in shaping democratic participation, public discourse and future leadership.
Sources in the BJP maintained that while there was a discussion on the role of Gen-Z, but the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) was not mentioned.
The Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founded by a Boston-based Indian student, Abhijeet Dipke, has shaken up politics in India, with parties curiously and keenly watching the response of Gen-Z on social media. The CJP got over 22 million followers on Instagram within days. Opposition leaders look at it as an indicator of Gen-Z’s disillusionment with the Modi government.
On Monday, Dipke took to X and Instagram to announce his return to India on 6 June to launch a “peaceful protest” seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over examination-related lapses. He urged his supporters and students to join him in Delhi.
During his visit to Uttarakhand last week, Nabin said, “Some people try to define Gen‑Z through anti‑establishment or negative terminology, but I believe that in such a vast India, such negative terminology will not have any lasting impact. India’s youth will not move in a negative direction, because they understand what is right and what is wrong.”
Terming the interaction between BJP leaders and RSP delegation as warm and informal, a senior party leader said emphasis was laid on carrying out more party-to-party engagements.
The interaction between the two parties took place under the BJP’s ‘Know BJP’ initiative. The RSP delegation visited the BJP headquarters in New Delhi Tuesday.
“Welcoming the delegation, Nitin Nabin highlighted the close and historic ties between India and Nepal, rooted in shared civilisational heritage, cultural bonds and strong people-to-people relations. He said such interactions help strengthen democratic dialogue and deepen party-to-party engagement between BJP and RSP,” Chauthaiwale added.
Nabin, Chauthaiwale pointed out, also shared insights into the BJP’s journey, ideology, organisational structure and its people-centric approach to political engagement, including an explanation on the BJP’s organisational model from the national level to the booth level while highlighting the importance of BJP karyakartas in maintaining a direct and continuous connect with people at the grassroots.
Speaking to ThePrint, Lok Sabha MP Praveen Khandewal who attended a lunch interaction with the delegation along with Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, MP Manoj Tiwari, Bansuri Swaraj, MoS Harsh Malhotra and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri told ThePrint that emphasis was laid on strengthening the friendship that the two countries enjoy.
“They had a very positive outlook as far as India is concerned. Discussion took place on how socio-economic relations between the two countries can be improved further. One of the Members of Parliament emphasised how India and Nepal share similar culture and tradition,” Khandewal added.
According to a statement issued by the BJP, the RSP delegation was keen to know about BJP’s membership process, candidate selection system and the party’s mechanism for identifying and connecting with grassroots workers.
Apart from Nabin, the meeting was attended by senior BJP leader Arun Singh, the party’s national general secretary, Sanjay Jaiswal, MP, and Vijay Chauthaiwale, in-charge of the BJP’s foreign affairs department, among others.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)