MONTREAL - Embattled Action democratique du Quebec Leader Mario Dumont won his riding of Riviere-du-Loup on Monday but surprisingly announced soon after he won't lead the party into the next provincial election.

The ADQ, already reeling from a pummelling at the polls that turfed it as the Opposition, now must move forward without the man who has been its leader since 1994.

While a teary-eyed Dumont gave no firm timetable for his departure, he confirmed he would not return as leader. He took the blame for the ADQ's poor showing, which also saw it lose official party status by failing to capture the requisite 12 seats or 20 per cent of the popular vote.

"Quebecers have come to a decision and we accept the verdict," Dumont told a crowd assembled in a Riviere-du-Loup hotel after seeing his party win just seven seats, compared with 41 in March 2007.

"In this context, I assume, in front of Quebecers, in front of our defeated candidates, all the responsibility.

"And you won't be surprised to hear me say that I won't be at the head of my party during the next Quebec provincial election," said Dumont, 38, who was instrumental in founding the conservative, nationalist provincial party.

Dumont quickly left the hotel on Monday night with his wife and two of his children in tow without fielding reporters' questions, but he told the assembled crowd he would begin the transition process in the coming weeks.

His imminent departure immediately makes Dumont an intriguing free agent option on the federal political spectrum. The ADQ leader has been linked to the Conservative party in the past.

One senior federal official, when asked whether they'd like to have Dumont within their ranks, said "in my dreams."

It is believed the Conservatives have repeatedly courted Dumont to lead the Tory charge in Quebec, but Dumont has been content with provincial politics with an eye to becoming Quebec premier.

In 2007, the ADQ leader brought his party to near victory, helping it gain official Opposition status and bumping the Parti Quebecois to third place.

The right-leaning party had taken just four seats in 2003.

Dumont fought this election with planks that included educational reform and more powers for Quebec.

Eric Caire, one of the few ADQ members who clung to a seat, told Radio-Canada he hoped to convince Dumont to stay on as leader.

"We didn't see this decision of Mr. Dumont's coming, especially since I thought he ran an excellent campaign," said Caire, who served as health critic.

But Dumont was dogged by his lack of results as the Opposition in the legislature.

A novice himself as Opposition leader and saddled with a group of largely inexperienced rookie politicians, Dumont watched his popularity disappear almost as quickly as he rose to power in 2007.

Dumont was also criticized for being a one-man show who exercised total control over the party and had few real ideas, prompting the defection of two members to the governing Liberals just days before the election call on Nov. 5.

Midway through the campaign, Dumont apologized to voters for not performing better in Opposition and implored them to give him a second chance.