Ex-IAS officer Divya Mittal's new party looks to field 'strong candidates' across 403 seats in UP

Former Indian Administrative Service officer Divya Mittal declared on Saturday that her newly formed Janneeti Bharat Party intends to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Speaking to a crowd in Chunar, located in the Mirzapur district, Mittal stated the party would field candidates in all 403 state assembly seats wherever it identifies strong contenders. This announcement marks the latest step in her transition from civil service to active politics, following her formal exit from the bureaucracy earlier this year. Mittal addressed the public during an interaction session in Chunar, where she specifically requested local residents to support the party’s future nominee for that constituency. Before speaking, she paid tribute to historical figures by placing a garland on the statue of Nishadraj at Guhrj Nishad Park. Her remarks were captured in a video that subsequently circulated widely on social media platforms. The former bureaucrat emphasized that her political entry aims to establish people’s rule through what she terms JanNiti, or people-centric governance, rather than engaging in traditional partisan politics. The political venture was formally introduced ten days prior to this weekend’s speech. On October 15, Mittal announced the creation of the Janneeti Bharat Party via a video posted on the social media platform X. In that initial communication, she outlined three core principles guiding the organization. The first principle centers on involving citizens directly in policymaking, summarized by the motto “Policy by the people, policies that build India.” The second principle asserts that governmental decisions should reflect individual needs rather than identity markers, described as “Decisions based on need, equality in decision-making.” The third principle demands strict public accountability, encapsulated in the phrase “The public will hold every action to account.” Mittal’s departure from the civil services concluded on September 15, when the Uttar Pradesh government accepted her resignation. She had submitted her notice on August 30, ending a thirteen-year career in the 2013 batch of the IAS under the Uttar Pradesh cadre. Prior to entering public office, she earned degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi and the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore. After working in London, she returned to India and cleared the Union Public Service Commission exam in her second attempt in 2013, securing the 68th rank. Her administrative career included serving as district magistrate in Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur, and Deoria. She later occupied senior roles within the state government, such as Special Secretary in the Revenue Department. Mittal gained broader public attention during her time in Mirzapur, where her administration facilitated the provision of piped drinking water to the remote village of Lahuria Dah. Residents there had previously relied on water tankers for decades. In her resignation letter, Mittal reflected on interactions with farmers, families pursuing land rights, and individuals with disabilities. She noted that her experience taught her that behind every government file lies a human being. Originally from Rewari in Haryana, she referred to Uttar Pradesh as her workplace and expressed a desire to work directly with people to address their concerns. She pledged to struggle fearlessly against issues affecting the populace while taking them along in the process. The party’s electoral strategy relies entirely on identifying capable local leaders to represent its vision in the upcoming state polls.