New Delhi: Former IAS officer Divya Mittal has launched her own political party, Jan Neeti Bharat, marking a new chapter in her career after 13 years in the civil services. The former bureaucrat has announced plans to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, signaling her intention to enter electoral politics independently. In a video message shared on
Explaining the party's philosophy, she said, “Politics rules over you. In Jan Neeti, you will be the ones who rule.” Her announcement follows her decision to take voluntary retirement from the civil services. By establishing a political outfit of her own, Mittal has joined a group of former bureaucrats who traded administrative careers for electoral ambitions.
From former Union ministers to chief ministers, Members of Parliament and state legislators, several civil servants have made similar transitions. Here are 10 notable examples.
1. Yashwant Sinha: From IAS Officer to Union Finance Minister
Yashwant Sinha left the Indian Administrative Service in 1984 to pursue a career in politics. He initially joined the Janata Party and later became associated with the Janata Dal before moving to the BJP. Sinha held the finance portfolio in the Chandra Shekhar government from 1990 to 1991. He returned as Union finance minister under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and served in the position until 2002, when he took charge of the external affairs ministry.
After years in the BJP, Sinha joined the Trinamool Congress in 2021. A year later, he became the opposition's joint candidate in the presidential election. His journey remains a prominent example of a former civil servant reaching the highest levels of national politics.
2. Ajit Jogi: The Bureaucrat Who Became Chhattisgarh’s First Chief Minister
Ajit Jogi resigned from the IAS post in 1986 and joined the Congress, beginning a political journey that eventually took him to the leadership of a newly created state. After serving as a district collector, Jogi entered parliamentary politics and became a Rajya Sabha member. His biggest breakthrough came in November 2000, when Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. Jogi became the state’s first chief minister and remained in office until 2003.
In 2016, following his departure from the Congress, he founded the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh to pursue an independent regional political agenda. His career illustrates how administrative experience can become a foundation for state-level political leadership.
3. Mani Shankar Aiyar: From Diplomat to Congress Leader
Mani Shankar Aiyar resigned from the Indian Foreign Service in 1989 after a diplomatic career spanning more than two decades. He had served in the Prime Minister’s Office during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure before entering electoral politics through the Congress. Aiyar won the Mayiladuthurai Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu in 1991 and subsequently became a Union minister. During the UPA government, he held the petroleum and natural gas portfolio and later served as minister for panchayati raj.
His political career demonstrated how experience in diplomacy and government administration could translate into a role in national policymaking.
4. Arvind Kejriwal: From Income Tax Officer to Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal resigned from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in 2006, having worked in the income tax department. Before entering electoral politics, he became associated with the Right to Information movement and founded Parivartan, an organization focused on addressing citizens’ grievances. His political profile grew during the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement led by Anna Hazare, which demanded stronger anti-corruption measures.
In 2012, Kejriwal founded the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), choosing to establish a new political organization rather than join an existing party. AAP made its electoral debut in the 2013 Delhi Assembly elections, when Kejriwal defeated then chief minister Sheila Dikshit. He subsequently led the Delhi government following the party’s victories in 2015 and 2020.
His transition remains one of the most prominent examples of an officer moving from public administration and activism to building a political party.
5. KJ Alphons: From Civil Service to Parliament
KJ Alphons took voluntary retirement from the IAS in 2006 and entered politics in Kerala. He won the Kanjirappally Assembly constituency as an independent candidate backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF). He later developed the Jana Shakti platform before joining the BJP in 2011. Alphons subsequently entered Parliament through the Rajya Sabha and joined the Narendra Modi government in 2017 as Union minister of state for tourism with independent charge.
He also handled responsibilities relating to electronics and information technology. His career reflects a transition from administrative work and urban development initiatives to state and national politics.
6. Satyapal Singh: From Mumbai Police Commissioner to Lok Sabha MP
Satyapal Singh, a 1980-batch IPS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, took voluntary retirement in January 2014 while serving as Mumbai police commissioner. He joined the BJP ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and contested from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. Singh defeated Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh to win the seat. He retained Baghpat in the 2019 general election and later served as Union minister of state for human resource development and water resources. Singh’s entry into politics demonstrated how a senior police officer could use his public profile and administrative experience to compete in parliamentary elections.
7. OP Choudhary: An Electoral Setback Before a Cabinet Role
OP Choudhary resigned from the IAS in 2018 while serving as Raipur collector in Chhattisgarh. He subsequently joined BJP and contested the Kharsia Assembly seat that year, but lost. Rather than abandoning his political ambitions, Choudhary returned to electoral politics in 2023, contesting from Raipur City South. This time he won and went on to join the Chhattisgarh government as a minister.
His journey highlights the uncertainty of electoral politics and shows that a former bureaucrat’s first defeat does not necessarily end a political career.
8. Aparajita Sarangi: From Senior IAS Officer to Two-Time MP
Aparajita Sarangi, a 1994-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, took voluntary retirement in 2018 while serving as joint secretary in the Union rural development ministry. She joined the BJP in November that year and contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Bhubaneswar, defeating Biju Janata Dal candidate Arup Patnaik. Sarangi retained the constituency in the 2024 general election, securing consecutive electoral victories.
Her move from a senior central government position to Parliament was completed within months of leaving the civil service.
9. AK Sharma: From the Prime Minister’s Office to UP Cabinet Politics
AK Sharma, a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, took voluntary retirement in January 2021, well before his scheduled retirement. He had spent a significant part of his career in the Prime Minister’s Office and worked closely with Narendra Modi during his time in Gujarat and later at the Centre. After leaving the service, Sharma joined the BJP and entered the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. He subsequently became a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, handling portfolios including urban development and energy.
His political journey highlights how senior administrative experience and established professional networks can facilitate a transition into state government.
10. Asim Arun: From Police Commissioner to Uttar Pradesh Minister
Asim Arun, a 1994-batch IPS officer, took voluntary retirement in January 2022 while serving as Kanpur police commissioner. He joined BJP ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and contested the Kannauj constituency. Arun won the election and subsequently became a minister in the Yogi Adityanath government. His move from a senior policing position to electoral politics took place within weeks of his retirement, making him a notable recent example of a serving police officer entering politics before completing his career.
Bonus: K Annamalai — From IPS Officer to Political Movement Founder
K Annamalai, a 2011-batch IPS officer of the Karnataka cadre, resigned from the police service in September 2019 after serving in districts including Udupi and Chikkamagaluru. He joined the BJP in 2020 and rose rapidly through the party's ranks, becoming its Tamil Nadu president in July 2021.
Annamalai contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly election from Aravakurichi and the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Coimbatore, but lost both contests. In June 2026, he left the BJP following differences over the party's political strategy in Tamil Nadu and launched a political movement called We The Leaders. He described the initiative as an effort to promote common-man politics and challenge what he termed cult-based and dynastic politics. He has also outlined an ambition to contest the 2031 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Divya Mittal’s Political Debut Adds a New Name to the List
Divya Mittal’s decision to establish Jan Neeti Bharat adds another name to the list of former civil servants seeking political influence after leaving government service. The examples above show that the transition can lead to very different outcomes. Some former officers have become chief ministers or Union ministers, while others have built regional political platforms or faced electoral defeats before securing a foothold.
For Mittal, the next major test will be translating her administrative experience and stated commitment to citizen-centric governance into a political organization capable of competing in Uttar Pradesh’s 2027 Assembly elections. Her party’s performance will determine whether she can turn her bureaucratic background into a sustainable electoral base.