Lucknow: Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her entry into politics independently, saying she will begin her political journey in Uttar Pradesh and build a platform with citizens rather than join an existing political party.
Mittal, who recently ended her 13-year career in the Indian Administrative Service, made the announcement in a video statement on Tuesday. She said she wanted to represent people whose grievances often fail to receive attention in government offices.
Mittal said her decision was influenced by experiences from her administrative career, where she encountered cases involving delays in implementing approved projects and difficulties faced by citizens in accessing government benefits.
Divya Mittal rules out joining political party
Mittal said she would not enter politics under the banner of an existing political party. Instead, she plans to develop a platform with citizens who share her concerns about governance and public issues.
She said the proposed platform would focus on questions related to infrastructure, roads, public services, examination-related concerns and the future of young people as artificial intelligence changes the employment landscape.
Mittal also said she wanted politics to focus on issues such as intent, justice and accountability rather than simply replacing one political leader with another.
She said she would continue raising questions and would not be deterred by factors such as money, muscle power, caste or religious calculations.
Administrative experiences cited
During her announcement, Mittal recalled several incidents from her time in government service.
She referred to a woman from a hill village who wanted a school beyond Class 5 for children in the area. According to Mittal, the school had received approval but construction had not begun even after three years.
She also referred to a land-allotment case involving a landless man during her tenure as special secretary in the Revenue Department. Mittal said the beneficiary had the required documents but had not received possession of the allotted land.
She used these experiences to question why government decisions and approvals sometimes fail to translate into outcomes for citizens.
The accounts and allegations about individual administrative cases are based on Mittal's own statements and have not been independently verified.
Why Uttar Pradesh?
Mittal said she had chosen Uttar Pradesh as the starting point for her political journey because of her connection with the state during her administrative career.
Describing Uttar Pradesh as her “karmabhoomi”, she said people in the state had supported her during her years in public service.
Mittal previously served as district magistrate in Deoria, Mirzapur and Sant Kabir Nagar. She also served as special secretary in the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Department before leaving the IAS. Her resignation from the service was accepted earlier this month. (indianexpress.com)
During her tenure as Mirzapur district magistrate, Mittal received attention for facilitating piped water access to Lahuriadah, a remote hill village in Halia block that had depended on tanker supplies. (indianexpress.com)
Mittal said her new political initiative would be developed with public participation. Her announcement comes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, although she has not announced a specific electoral constituency or candidate plans.
