Patna, Sept. 28: RJD old guard and party state unit president Ram Chandra Purbey has decided to retire from electoral politics.

Purbey (69) will continue to serve the party but will not contest elections anymore. He is serving as RJD state unit president for the third consecutive term and was always elected to the post unopposed.

He announced his retirement while talking to The Telegraph. "I've decided to retire from electoral politics. I'll never contest polls again," Purbey said. "But I'll keep serving the party as a party worker."

Purbey was MLA from Sonbarsa twice and faced defeat in the last two Assembly polls, contesting from Parihar Assembly seat. He lost to BJP candidate Gayatri Devi in last year's Assembly polls.

He held five departments - namely HRD, minor irrigation, transport, planning and development and parliamentary affairs - under Lalu.

Purbey is seen as a gentleman, never linked to any controversy in his political career. "Purbey ji is a gentleman but he has been losing elections since 2010," said an MLA in private. "He was neither made a minister nor an MLC."

The MLA, however, insisted that Purbey ji was graceful enough to retireme from electoral politics. "There are several in our party who refuse to realise that their days are up."

Purbey, a close aide of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, said he has not informed him about his decision yet. "I don't think it is an issue that needs to be highlighted or discussed," Purbey said. "It's my decision, as I've contested enough elections in my political career, being MLC from 1986 to 2000 and MLA twice."

But Lalu had made it clear that Purbey's third term, ending in January 2019, would be his last. "Purbey ji, this is your last term. Someone else will hold this post after you," Lalu had said during the RJD state council meeting to re-elect Purbey as state unit president in January. Lalu had said it with a smile, but it is believed he did not want to hurt Purbey.

After losing two consecutive Assembly elections, it was certain he would not get a ticket to contest Assembly polls in 2020. Purbey has never deserted Lalu or the RJD, even during bad times. After losing the last Assembly election, his only hope lay in an honourable exit after being accommodated in the Council bypolls in May. But that too did not happen though his name was on the list of probables.

Purbey denied he was expecting something from Lalu after the RJD bounced back to power. "I always believed in serving the party and being loyal to Lalu ji. I never expected anything in return," he said. "Even while talking to you now, I am present in my chamber in the party office."