Ending days of speculation over a widely anticipated move, former IAS officer Divya Mittal on Thursday announced her political debut, launching her party Janneeti Bharat and declaring her intention to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from Mirzapur.
Known for its carpet and brassware industries, and revered shrines such as Vindhyachal, Ashtbhuja and Kali Khoh, Mirzapur is now gearing up for a new electoral contest, with former IAS officer Divya Mittal entering the fray to challenge established players, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress.
Mittal, who served as Mirzapur district magistrate from September 2022 to September 2023, told Hindustan Times that public pressure played a role in her decision to contest from the district. She announced her party and electoral plans through social media posts and a video message.
Mirzapur’s political landscape presents a challenge for the former bureaucrat. The district is considered a stronghold of Union minister and Apna Dal (S) chief Anupriya Patel, who won the Mirzapur Lok Sabha seat in 2014, 2019 and 2024.
The BJP-Apna Dal (S) alliance won all five assembly seats in the district in the 2022 elections: Chhanbey, Mirzapur, Majhawan, Chunar and Marihan. BJP candidate Ratnakar Mishra won the Mirzapur assembly seat in both 2017 and 2022.
{{/usCountry}}The BJP-Apna Dal (S) alliance won all five assembly seats in the district in the 2022 elections: Chhanbey, Mirzapur, Majhawan, Chunar and Marihan. BJP candidate Ratnakar Mishra won the Mirzapur assembly seat in both 2017 and 2022.
{{/usCountry}}Mittal’s familiarity with the district could form a key part of her political pitch. During her tenure as DM, she received public appreciation for development and welfare initiatives, including providing piped water to Lahuria Dah, a remote village in hilly terrain, in August 2023, which helped resolve a decades-old water crisis.
When asked whether she would field candidates in all 403 assembly constituencies and about the party’s manifesto and candidate selection process, Mittal said details of its functioning and electoral plans would be made public soon.
The party’s motto is “Rajneeti nahi Janneeti,” which, she said, puts people at the centre of decision-making. In her video message, Mittal outlined three key promises: people-centric policymaking, decisions based on need rather than identity, and public accountability.
Mittal said politics should focus on accountability, justice and children’s futures rather than caste and religious equations. She said she would build a platform with supporters without relying on money or muscle power.
The announcement follows the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training accepting her resignation on September 14. Mittal opted for voluntary retirement from the IAS on August 30, ending her 13-year civil services career.
Originally from Haryana’s Rewari district, she studied at IIT-Delhi and IIM-Bangalore, worked in London after completing her MBA and cleared the civil services examination in 2013 with the 68th rank in her second attempt.