Former UP IAS officer Divya Mittal enters politics, rules out joining a party

• Divya Mittal announced her entry into politics days after leaving the IAS

• She said she would begin in Uttar Pradesh and work with citizens rather than join a political party

• Mittal cited delays in delivering public services, poor rural infrastructure and concerns over recruitment and employment

Former IAS officer Divya Mittal announced on Tuesday that she was entering politics, saying she would begin her work in Uttar Pradesh without joining any political party. Her announcement follows her resignation from the administrative service after nearly 13 years.

In a video message, Mittal said she wanted to speak for people whose concerns fail to reach government offices or go unanswered when they do. She said accountability and justice would guide her political work.

Mittal pointed to experiences from her administrative career to explain her decision. During an inspection of the water supply system in Lahuria Dah, she said, a woman asked her for a school offering classes beyond Class 5. Mittal said she approved the proposal after examining the rules, but construction had still not begun three years later.

She also recalled the case of a landless man who said he had been allotted government land but had not received possession. Mittal said an inquiry found that an official report on the matter was incorrect and that it was subsequently withdrawn. Despite action against the person responsible, she said, the man’s request for possession remained unresolved.

The former officer raised concerns about the lack of roads and bridges in villages, and the difficulties families face during the monsoon. She also cited examination paper leaks, lengthy recruitment processes and the potential effect of artificial intelligence on jobs as issues affecting young people.

Mittal, a 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre officer, served as District Magistrate of Mirzapur and Deoria. Her resignation was accepted in September. She had said she would announce her next step on 29 September, following speculation about whether she would enter politics.

With IANS inputs