"Residents of RS Pura wanted me to contest, but the party did not give me the mandate... So to respect the wishes and aspirations of the people, I have decided to contest the elections as an independent candidate from the RS Pura assembly seat," Kundal said.
Kundal, a former IAS officer had taken premature retirement as chief secretary of Jammu and Kashmir after he plunged into politics to join Congress. He was inducted as a cabinet minister in the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led government in Jammu and Kashmir in 2008.
The RS Pura assembly constituency will go to polls in the fifth phase of elections slated for December 20.