Pita Sharples will resign as the Maori Party's co-leader tomorrow and will quit politics altogether next year.
Dr Sharples tonight told the Herald he planned to stay on as a minister and Tamaki Makaurau MP until the 2014 election. He would not run for Parliament next year.
The 71-year-old will stay as co-leader until the party elects a new leader, which he expected to happen at the AGM in Whakatane in a fortnight.
The new co-leader is almost certain to be MP Te Ururoa Flavell.
