‘I Will Keep Asking Questions’: Former IAS Officer Divya Mittal Enters UP Politics
SUMMARY: Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her independent entry into politics, saying she will begin her political journey in Uttar Pradesh. The 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer, who resigned from the IAS after around 13 years of service, said she would not join any existing political party and instead wants to build a people-led platform focused on public grievances, accountability and systemic issues.
Written by
Banashree Dutta

Here is the article in your usual 7-point SEO format, with the candidate details and election schedule based on the latest reports.
BJP Announces Four Candidates for Bihar Legislative Council Polls
TITLE: BJP Announces Candidates for Four Seats in Bihar Legislative Council Polls
SLUG: bjp-candidates-bihar-legislative-council-polls-four-seats-2026
SUMMARY: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced four candidates for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Council elections. Nawal Kishore Yadav, N K Yadav and Sarvesh Kumar will contest from the Patna Teachers, Kosi Graduates and Darbhanga Graduates constituencies respectively, while Narendra Prasad Singh has been fielded from Tirhut Teachers. Polling for the eight council seats is scheduled for October 23, 2026.
CONTENT:
BJP Announces Four Candidates for Bihar MLC Polls
The BJP on September 29, 2026, announced its candidates for four of the eight Bihar Legislative Council seats that will go to polls next month.
The party has retained three sitting MLCs — Nawal Kishore Yadav, N K Yadav and Sarvesh Kumar — while fielding Narendra Prasad Singh for the Tirhut Teachers constituency.
BJP’s Four Candidates in Bihar
The BJP candidates announced for the four constituencies are:
ConstituencyBJP CandidatePatna TeachersNawal Kishore YadavKosi GraduatesN K YadavDarbhanga GraduatesSarvesh KumarTirhut TeachersNarendra Prasad Singh
Nawal Kishore Yadav, N K Yadav and Sarvesh Kumar are currently members of the Bihar Legislative Council from their respective constituencies.
Narendra Prasad Singh Gets Tirhut Teachers Ticket
The BJP has nominated Narendra Prasad Singh for the Tirhut Teachers constituency.
The seat is currently held by Sanjay Kumar Singh of the opposition INDIA bloc's CPI. The BJP's announcement completes its list for the four constituencies allocated to the party within the NDA's seat-sharing arrangement for these council elections.
Eight Bihar Legislative Council Seats Going to Polls
The upcoming election covers eight seats in the Bihar Legislative Council — four Graduate constituencies and four Teachers constituencies.
The Graduate constituencies are Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Kosi, while the Teachers constituencies are Patna, Darbhanga, Tirhut and Saran.
JD(U) Has Candidates for Other Four Seats
The BJP's NDA ally, Janata Dal (United), has already announced candidates for the other four constituencies.
The BJP and JD(U) are therefore contesting four seats each as part of their alliance arrangement for the eight-seat election.
RJD Announces Candidates for Six Seats
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which leads the opposition coalition in Bihar, has announced candidates for six of the eight seats.
The party has indicated that discussions are continuing over the Tirhut Teachers constituency and the Darbhanga Teachers seat.
The Jan Suraaj Party led by Prashant Kishor has also announced candidates for all eight constituencies.
Bihar MLC Election Schedule
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 23, 2026. The notification was issued on September 29, while the last date for filing nominations is October 6.
The election schedule is:
Election ProcessDateNotificationSeptember 29, 2026Last date for nominationsOctober 6, 2026Scrutiny of nominationsOctober 7, 2026Last date for withdrawalOctober 9, 2026PollingOctober 23, 2026Counting and resultsOctober 27, 2026
Polling will take place from 8 am to 4 pm on October 23.
Who Can Vote in Graduate and Teachers Constituencies?
The Bihar Legislative Council elections involve special electorates.
For Graduate constituencies, eligible voters must have held a recognised university degree for at least three years and ordinarily reside in the relevant constituency.
For Teachers constituencies, eligible voters include those with at least three years of teaching experience in qualifying secondary schools, colleges or universities, subject to the applicable electoral-roll requirements.
Terms of Existing MLCs End in November
The terms of the sitting members representing these eight constituencies are scheduled to expire on November 16, 2026.
The election process is therefore being completed ahead of the expiry of their terms.
Key Takeaways
BJP has announced four candidates for the Bihar Legislative Council elections.
Nawal Kishore Yadav will contest from Patna Teachers.
N K Yadav will contest from Kosi Graduates.
Sarvesh Kumar has been named for Darbhanga Graduates.
Narendra Prasad Singh will contest from Tirhut Teachers.
Eight Bihar Legislative Council seats will go to polls.
Voting is scheduled for October 23, 2026, with counting on October 27.
BJP and JD(U) are contesting four seats each under the NDA arrangement.
META TITLE: BJP Announces 4 Candidates for Bihar MLC Polls 2026
META DESCRIPTION: BJP announces four candidates for Bihar Legislative Council polls 2026. Check the candidates, constituencies, election schedule and key details.
TAGS: BJP Bihar, Bihar MLC Election 2026, Bihar Legislative Council, Bihar Legislative Council Polls, BJP Candidates, Nawal Kishore Yadav, N K Yadav, Sarvesh Kumar, Narendra Prasad Singh, Patna Teachers, Kosi Graduates, Darbhanga Graduates, Tirhut Teachers, JD(U), RJD, Jan Suraaj Party, Bihar Politics, MLC Elections, Legislative Council Elections, Bihar News, India News
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AAP leaders Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh detained during protest outside Delhi Police HQ
Here is the article in your usual 7-point SEO format, based on the latest reports from September 29, 2026.
AAP Leaders Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh Detained During Protest Outside Delhi Police HQ
TITLE:
AAP Leaders Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh Detained During Protest Outside Delhi Police HQ
SLUG:
aap-leaders-bharadwaj-jarnail-singh-detained-delhi-police-hq-protest
SUMMARY:
Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj and AAP MLA Jarnail Singh were detained by Delhi Police on September 29, 2026, during a protest outside the Delhi Police Headquarters. The leaders and party workers were demanding an FIR against Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma over an alleged slapping incident involving a young man during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar. The development came amid a separate police case involving an alleged assault on a Delhi Police head constable.
CONTENT:
AAP Leaders Detained Outside Delhi Police Headquarters
Delhi AAP president Saurabh Bharadwaj and MLA Jarnail Singh were among AAP leaders and workers detained by Delhi Police on Tuesday during a protest outside the Delhi Police Headquarters in New Delhi.
The protesters were demanding registration of an FIR against Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma over an alleged incident in which he reportedly slapped a young man during a road inspection in west Delhi's Tilak Nagar.
AAP Demands FIR Against Parvesh Verma
The protest followed a September 27 incident during an inspection of road construction work in Tilak Nagar.
According to reports, Jarnail Singh questioned the quality of the newly constructed road and removed portions of the road surface by hand. A 22-year-old man who was recording the proceedings was allegedly slapped by Verma during the confrontation.
Verma later said that the man accompanying Singh had allegedly abused his family, which he said triggered his reaction.
Bharadwaj Calls for Police Action
Saurabh Bharadwaj demanded that Delhi Police register an FIR over the alleged slapping incident.
In a statement shared on social media, Bharadwaj said the issue was not limited to the alleged incident involving one individual but concerned what he described as a broader political culture. He called for the police and government to ensure that complaints by citizens were addressed.
FIR Also Registered Against AAP Leaders
The protest took place amid a separate case involving an alleged assault on a Delhi Police head constable.
Delhi Police said the head constable was recording a video in plain clothes during former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's visit to Tilak Nagar when a group of AAP supporters allegedly surrounded and assaulted him.
Police said an FIR was registered in connection with the incident and named Saurabh Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh and AAP workers. The head constable subsequently underwent a medical examination.
Separate Cases Linked to the Tilak Nagar Row
The dispute has resulted in multiple complaints and police cases.
A separate case has also been reported against Sahib Singh, while an FIR was registered against Jarnail Singh following a complaint connected with the road inspection incident. Police have said that multiple complaints related to the incidents are being examined.
AAP Leaders Were Later Released
According to the PTI report, Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh and other AAP workers detained during the protest were later released.
Delhi Police had not immediately responded to the protesters' demand for an FIR against Parvesh Verma at the time of the report.
Political Row Intensifies in Delhi
The developments have intensified a political confrontation between the AAP and the BJP in Delhi. The dispute now involves the alleged slapping of a young man during a road inspection, demands for police action against Parvesh Verma, and a separate FIR concerning an alleged assault on a police official.
The allegations and police cases remain subject to investigation and further legal proceedings.
Key Takeaways
AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Jarnail Singh were detained during a protest outside Delhi Police Headquarters.
AAP workers were demanding an FIR against Delhi PWD Minister Parvesh Verma over an alleged slapping incident.
The incident took place during a road inspection in Tilak Nagar on September 27.
Delhi Police also registered an FIR naming Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh and AAP workers over an alleged assault on a head constable.
The detained AAP leaders were later released, according to PTI.
Multiple complaints and cases are being examined in connection with the wider Tilak Nagar dispute.
META TITLE:
AAP Leaders Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh Detained in Delhi Protest
META DESCRIPTION:
AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Jarnail Singh were detained during a protest outside Delhi Police HQ demanding an FIR against Parvesh Verma.
TAGS:
Saurabh Bharadwaj, Jarnail Singh, AAP, Aam Aadmi Party, Delhi Police, Delhi Police HQ, Parvesh Verma, Delhi Politics, Tilak Nagar, AAP Protest, AAP Leaders Detained, Delhi PWD Minister, FIR, Delhi News, Political News, Arvind Kejriwal, Police Protest, Delhi Government, India News
‘I will keep asking questions’: Former IAS officer Divya Mittal enters UP politics
I’ve checked the latest reports and kept the political claims attributed rather than presenting them as established facts.
Former IAS Officer Divya Mittal Enters UP Politics
TITLE:
‘I Will Keep Asking Questions’: Former IAS Officer Divya Mittal Enters UP Politics
SLUG:
divya-mittal-former-ias-officer-enters-uttar-pradesh-politics
SUMMARY:
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her independent entry into politics, saying she will begin her political journey in Uttar Pradesh. The 2013-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer, who resigned from the IAS after around 13 years of service, said she would not join any existing political party and instead wants to build a people-led platform focused on public grievances, accountability and systemic issues.
CONTENT:
Former IAS Officer Divya Mittal Enters Politics
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her entry into politics, nearly a month after resigning from the Indian Administrative Service.
In a video message released on September 29, 2026, Mittal said she would begin her political journey from Uttar Pradesh and work directly with people to raise issues that often fail to receive adequate attention from government authorities.
Divya Mittal Says She Will Not Join Any Political Party
Mittal has clarified that she does not intend to join an existing political party at this stage.
Instead, she said she wants to build a political platform with citizens and focus on issues affecting ordinary people. She described her approach as politics with the people rather than politics under the banner of a particular party.
‘I Will Keep Asking Questions’
Mittal said she wants to represent people whose grievances often do not reach government offices or remain unheard even after reaching them.
She also said that she was not afraid of entering politics and would continue to raise questions on issues affecting citizens. Her stated objective is to bring greater attention to intent, accountability and implementation in public administration.
Why Did Divya Mittal Enter Politics?
Explaining her decision, Mittal referred to several experiences from her administrative career.
She recalled a case from her tenure as district magistrate in Mirzapur involving a woman from the Lahuria Dah area who wanted a school for children in her village. According to Mittal, the school had been sanctioned but construction had not begun even after three years.
She also referred to cases involving government land allotments, infrastructure problems and delays in implementing approved projects. These examples, she said, contributed to her decision to enter public life.
Education and Examination Paper Leaks Among Her Concerns
Mittal has also highlighted education and examination-related issues.
She raised questions about examination paper leaks and the impact such incidents can have on students and their future. She also spoke about employment challenges that could emerge as artificial intelligence changes the nature of work.
Uttar Pradesh Is Her ‘Karmabhoomi’
Mittal said Uttar Pradesh would be the starting point of her political journey because of her connection with the state during her years in public service.
She described Uttar Pradesh as her “karmabhoomi” and said the people of the state had supported her during her administrative career.
Divya Mittal's IAS Career
Divya Mittal is a 2013-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. She has served as district magistrate in Sant Kabir Nagar, Mirzapur and Deoria and later worked as special secretary in the Uttar Pradesh government's Revenue Department.
She studied at IIT Delhi and IIM Bangalore and had also worked in the private sector before joining the civil services.
Resignation From IAS Before Political Entry
Mittal announced her resignation from the IAS on August 30, 2026, after around 13 years in the civil service. Reports said the resignation became effective on September 15.
Her political announcement came shortly after leaving government service and ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
No Party Banner for Now
Mittal has indicated that her political initiative will be independent rather than being associated with an established political party.
She said the platform would be shaped with the participation of citizens and would focus on public issues rather than caste or religious calculations. Whether the initiative develops into an electoral organisation or takes another form remains to be seen.
Political Entry Comes Ahead of 2027 UP Elections
Mittal's announcement comes months before the scheduled 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
While reports have discussed the possibility of her contesting from Mirzapur, she has not announced a specific constituency or electoral seat in the reports reviewed.
Key Takeaways
Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has announced her entry into politics.
She plans to begin her political journey in Uttar Pradesh.
Mittal has said she will not join an existing political party at this stage.
She wants to build a citizen-led political platform focused on public grievances and accountability.
Education, examination irregularities, infrastructure and youth employment are among the issues she has highlighted.
Mittal resigned from the IAS after around 13 years of service.
Her political announcement comes ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
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