Congress sitting MLC B R Kundal today left the party and announced to contest the assembly polls as an "independent candidate" from R S Pura seat in Jammu and Kashmir.
"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 Congress has given mandate to Suman Bhagat to contest the elections from the RS Pura seat.
The RS Pura assembly constituency will go to polls in the fifth phase of elections slated for December 20.
