Former Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary BR Kundal will be the National Conference candidate for the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, the party president Farooq Abdullah said on Wednesday.
Abdullah announced the candidate soon after Kundal—a former Congress minister and presently president, Dharmarth Trust—joined National Conference during a function here.
Abdullah exuded confidence that given Kundal’s “vast and varied experience as a top bureaucrat, he will enjoy massive support of the people in the upcoming elections”.
Abdullah described Kundal as a “versatile administrator” and said “having served in all the three regions of Jammu and Kashmir, he has left an indelible mark of public service”, a National Conference spokesman said in a statement.
“This spirit will stand him in good stead in his new role in public life,” Abdullah said, adding that his joining will “not only further strengthen the party at grassroots, it will also enthuse all those working for steering the state to peace and normalcy”.
“J&K is passing through a most-difficult phase due to political instability and governance-deficit in recent years and therefore the people are looking towards us with hope,” Abdullah said, adding that National Conference would “strive to assuage their political aspirations and instill much-needed sense of security”.
In his address, Kundal said he would “carry forward NC’s mission with sincerity of purpose” and expressed his gratitude to the party’s leadership for “reposing faith in me.”
Having sought premature retirement as chief secretary, Kundal remained a minister and Congress MLC.