Uttar Pradesh has a new political player. Former IAS officer Divya Mittal on Thursday, October 15, announced the launch of her political party, Jan Neeti Bharat, and said it will contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Mittal, who left the civil service earlier this year, unveiled the party through a video on social media, promising a style of politics where ordinary citizens help shape policy and keep track of the government's work.
Her slogan sums up the pitch: "Politics rules over you. Under Jan Neeti, you will be in charge."
Who Is Divya Mittal
Mittal is a 2013-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. An engineering graduate from IIT Delhi with an MBA from IIM Bangalore, she worked in London before returning to India to prepare for the civil services. During her career, she served as District Magistrate in districts including Mirzapur, Sant Kabir Nagar and Deoria, and her last posting was as Special Secretary in the UP Revenue Department.
She built a strong public profile, especially in Mirzapur, where her work as District Magistrate earned her a large following on social media. Before the launch, she visited Mirzapur during Navratri to offer prayers and had said she would announce her next step during the festival.
How the Party Was Built
The run-up to the launch was unusual. On September 29, Mittal held a live session on social media and asked people for their views. The response was so heavy that her WhatsApp number was temporarily blocked because of the flood of messages. She then set up an online form to collect names, contact numbers and suggestions from supporters.
Mittal has admitted that the new party does not have the money for big advertising campaigns. She has said it will depend on grassroots outreach, and has asked people to invite her to their villages and towns to help build the organisation.
Three Key Promises
Mittal outlined three core pledges for Jan Neeti Bharat:
- "Jan Se Neeti, Neeti Se Bharat" – Policy should come from people's everyday problems, with experts helping find solutions. Citizens, not just officials, would set priorities.
- "Zaroorat Se Faisla, Aur Faisle Mein Barabari" – Decisions should be based on need, not caste, religion or influence. One idea is a mobile system where women can mark unsafe spots; once a location gets 100 reports, measures such as street lighting, police patrolling and CCTV cameras would follow.
- "Janta Ko Hisaab, Aur Hisaab Se Sudhaar" – Citizens should be able to track public works and applications on their phones, cutting out middlemen. Public services would get colour-coded ratings, and party legislators would act as a link between people and the government.
"The problem is not a lack of parties, but a lack of people being heard," she said while explaining the idea behind the party.
Jan Neeti Bharat: Key Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Party name | Jan Neeti Bharat |
| Founder | Divya Mittal, former IAS officer (2013 batch, UP cadre) |
| Launched on | October 15, 2026, via social media video |
| Target election | 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections |
| Core idea | Citizen-led policy and public accountability |
| Campaign approach | Grassroots and door-to-door outreach |
What It Means for UP Politics
Uttar Pradesh politics has long been dominated by the BJP, the Samajwadi Party, the BSP and the Congress, and the 2027 contest is already heating up, with defections and new alliances in the news. A new party led by a former bureaucrat faces a steep climb in a state with 403 Assembly seats and deeply rooted caste and community equations.
At the same time, Mittal's social media reach and her image as an administrator who got work done may help her draw first-time voters and urban youth who feel unrepresented. How far that online support turns into votes on the ground is the big question.
What Happens Next
The immediate task for Jan Neeti Bharat is building an organisation across districts, picking candidates and getting its registration and symbol in place before the polls. Mittal has also not yet given details on how her proposed technology systems would be funded or rolled out at scale. Over the coming months, her outreach tours and the response they get will show whether the party can become a serious force or remains a niche voice in the 2027 battle.
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