Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh-cadre IAS officer Divya Mittal (Retd IAS:2013:UP) has announced her entry into politics, weeks after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service.
In a video message shared on social media on Tuesday (September 29, 2026), Mittal said she will begin her political journey from Uttar Pradesh, which she described as her karmabhoomi. She made it clear that she does not intend to join any existing political party and instead wants to work directly with citizens to build a political platform around their issues.
Mittal said she wants to become the voice of people whose grievances often fail to reach government offices. She referred to issues including schools that were sanctioned but not constructed, inadequate infrastructure, examination paper leaks and concerns about the future of students.
She also recalled her experience as District Magistrate of Mirzapur, referring to the case of Lahuria Dah village where, according to her account, a school had been sanctioned but construction had not started even after several years. She said her objective was not merely to replace one political leader but to seek a change in the way politics is conducted.
Mittal had announced her resignation from the IAS on August 30, 2026, after around 13 years in the service. Her resignation was subsequently accepted, with her exit from the service effective September 15, 2026.
A 2013-batch officer, Mittal is an alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore. During her administrative career, she served as District Magistrate of Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur and Deoria, among other assignments. Her work on bringing piped drinking water to the remote Lahuria Dah village in Mirzapur brought her wider public attention.
Her announcement comes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, but she has not announced any political party affiliation or a specific electoral constituency.
Get Latest Updates