President Bush (left) consoles White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove as they appear before reporters during a news conference announcing Rove's resignation, yesterday, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington.- AP

WASHINGTON (Reuters):

Karl Rove, who set the political strategy for U.S. President George W. Bush's two White House victories and became a favourite target for critics, said yesterday he was resigning and returning home to Texas.

The White House deputy chief of staff known as 'The Architect' for guiding Bush from governor of Texas to president is the latest senior aide to quit as the Bush presidency draws toward its close in early 2009.

"The world's turned many times since our journey began," an emotional Rove, 56, said with Bush at his side on the White House's South Lawn.

"I will miss, deeply miss my work here, my colleagues and the opportunity to serve you and our nation."

His last day at the White House is August 31.

Bush, before heading with his friend of 34 years to start a two-week Texas vacation, said, "We're still going to be friends ... I'll be on the road behind you here in a little bit."

The departure of the fiercely partisan Rove marks the end of a close collaboration between Bush and the aide dubbed 'Bush's brain', who won respect from admirers for his command of political machinery and his drive for an enduring Republican dominance of government.

Rove, who made harnessing the votes of conservative Christians a key election strategy, helped Republicans expand their majorities in the U.S. Congress after Bush won the White House in a contested 2000 election.

But the two suffered a major setback in 2006 when Democrats won control of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.