Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Congress leader and former Union minister A.K. Antony decided to quit active politics.

Mr. Antony has informed the Congress leadership about his decision to quit active politics and decided not to seek re-election to his Rajya Sabha seat and move back to his home state of Kerala after his tenure comes to an end in April.

The decision of his retirement from active politics will be the end of his 52-year-long illustrious career in electoral politics which includes three terms each as Union minister and chief minister of Kerala.

Speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram Tuesday, the 81-year -old Antony thanked Congress president Sonia Gandhi for the opportunities given to him to represent the party in Rajya Sabha as well in the Union cabinet during the Manmohan Singh's government.

Mr. Antony said that he was thinking of quitting politics for a while and had also informed Sonia Gandhi about it a few months ago.

“After thinking about parliamentary politics for a while, I informed Sonia ji a couple of months ago about my decision not to seek another Rajya Sabha term. During my visit to Kerala last month, I told the PCC president and other colleagues about the same”, he told reporters during media briefing.

“The time has come now for me to end my journey in electoral politics and my parliamentary career. I will leave Delhi in April and return to live in Thiruvananthapuram”, Mr. Antony said.

 ‘Throughout his career, which began in Kerala politics during the 1970s, Antony had the reputation of being one of the Congress’ most honest and upright leaders, earning him the moniker ‘St Antony of Congress’. He was known to be one of Sonia Gandhi’s most trusted lieutenants, and also had good terms with Indira and Rajiv Gandhi.

At the age of 37, he become the Chief Minister of Kerala in 1977. He was the youngest CM of India at that time. He first became MLA in the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, after graduating from his student politics days, and went on to serve the first of his three terms as the state’s chief minister of Kerala.

He was also served as Kerala Congress chief for 10 years. He served as Union minister for three terms – He was the defense minister in Manmohan Singh Cabinet from 2006 to 2014. He has also been a Rajya Sabha MP for five terms.