Former IAS officer Divya Mittal announces political debut, says she will remain independent

Days after resigning from the IAS, former Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer Divya Mittal has announced that she will enter politics independently, focusing on public accountability, justice and issues affecting ordinary people.

Updated : Sep 29, 2026, 07:49 PM IST

Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her entry into politics days after resigning from the administrative service. She said her political journey would begin in Uttar Pradesh but made it clear that she would not join any political party.

Mittal's announcement comes amid speculation about her next move following her resignation, which was accepted in September. She said she wanted to work directly with people and become a voice for those whose concerns often go unheard.

आइए हम भी सुनते हैं

IAS पद से इस्तीफा देने वाली दिव्या मित्तल को

जिन्होंने अपने तर्कों से योगी आदित्यनाथ की सरकार में भ्रष्टाचार की सारी परतें उधेड़ दी हैं।

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Calling Uttar Pradesh her “karmabhoomi”, Mittal said the state would be the starting point of her political journey. In a video message, she explained why she had taken time to announce her plans.

"Just a few days ago, I resigned from the IAS, and left many questions in your mind. I did not answer for a few days because the work was huge and I was gathering courage, but today I have come to answer those questions. What next? With whom and from where?"

Answering these questions, she declared, "The first question is what next? Politics."

‘I want to become a voice for people’

Mittal said her aim was to raise issues faced by people who struggle to get their concerns heard by government offices. "People told me that you have achieved everything; what else do you want to become? I want to become a voice, the voice of those people whose voice does not reach any office and, even if it reaches, is not heard. I want an account of the 80 years of my country's independence," she said.

She said her political approach would focus on accountability and addressing problems that affect ordinary citizens.

School in village becomes example of administrative delays

Explaining her focus on accountability, Mittal recalled an incident from her time inspecting the water supply system in Lahuria Dah village. She said a woman had approached her asking for a school that would allow children to study beyond Class 5. Mittal said she had initially expected the woman to seek help with a pension or housing.

After checking the rules, she approved the school. However, she said construction had still not begun even after three years. "There was just no will. If there had been will, even the mountain would have given way, but if there had been no will, a single file became a mountain," she said.

Mittal cited the incident to highlight how delays and a lack of action can prevent people from getting access to basic facilities.

Roads, recruitment delays and AI-related job concerns

Mittal also spoke about the difficulties faced by people in villages because of poor roads, a lack of bridges and problems travelling during the monsoon. She raised concerns about young people's future, including examination paper leaks, lengthy recruitment processes and the possible impact of artificial intelligence on employment.

As a mother of two daughters, she said she was worried about the opportunities and challenges children would face in the coming years. "Today, there is everything in our politics, there is power, there is noise, but there is no thinking. I want an account of that lack of thinking," she said.

Mittal rules out joining any political party

Making her position clear, Mittal said she would pursue politics independently rather than align herself with an existing political party. "We will have to change the politics. I will do politics, but not with anyone or any party. But with you all," she said.

She appealed to teachers, farmers, students, doctors, labourers, lawyers and people from other sections of society to join her initiative. Mittal said meaningful political change would require public participation and collective efforts to address people's concerns.

A 2013-batch IAS officer, Mittal resigned after nearly 13 years in the civil service. During her career, she served as District Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh districts including Mirzapur and Deoria. She was known for her work on providing piped water to remote villages in Mirzapur.

Her administrative experience and public-facing work have drawn attention to her decision to enter politics. Her announcement also comes months before the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, putting her planned independent political journey in focus.