Kolkata, March 3 (IANS) Senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Hasim Abdul Halim, who has been the West Bengal assembly speaker for the last 28 years, said Wednesday he would not contest the next year's election due to his deteriorating health.

'I don't want to contest 2011 state assembly election because of health reasons. I had told my party leadership about that during 2006 assembly polls also but they forced me to contest that time,' Halim told IANS.

'Now, I have also informed them about my desire to take retirement. I am awaiting their response,' Halim said.

He added: 'We generally don't take any decision on such matters but yes, we do inform our party about whatever problem we face.'

Halim won the last state assembly election in 2006 from Kolkata's Entally seat on a CPI-M ticket. Earlier, he used to contest from North 24 Parganas' Amdanga assembly seat.

Halim had suffered cardiac and respiratory problems last month and was admitted to a hospital in Singapore. He was on his way to London and was making a stopover in Singapore when he suffered the health hazard.