New Delhi, Putting all speculations about his retirement to rest, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee announced that he would quit politics at the end of his term in the office.

Chatterjee has also scotched off rumours about his rejoining the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which expelled him recently for not voting with against the UPA government on July-22 crucial trust vote, which the government ultimately won.

"I was very proud to be a party member. It was the saddest day of my life when I was expelled. There is no initiative on my part to rejoin," Chatterjee said. He said there is no possibility of my rejoining the party as I want to lead a retired life.

"I don't believe in going to Vrindavan, I will go to a small corner of my state, far from the maddening crowd and lead a retired life," the veteran Parliamentarian said. His term as Speaker ends early next year.

He admitted that there has been an overwhelmingly public response, which was unprecedented when he was expelled from the party. People appreciated the principled stand I had taken, Chatterjee said.

The stand the Speaker took on trust vote against the UPA coalition had irked his party chief Prakash Karat, who ensured that he is expelled from the party to maintain discipline. His expulsion also led to a division within the CPI (M) as party's West Bengal unit strongly opposed Karat and his company's move and asked him to mend the fences with one of the highly respected parliamentarian who represented CPI

(M) in parliament for over four decades.

Defending his position Chatterjee who is also a prominent Constitutional lawyer maintained that holding the highest Constitutional office in the high esteem was his priority than voting with the BJP.

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