Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 16 (IANS): After ruffling many a feathers with his pro-RSS remarks, veteran leader K.Sudhakaran has expressed his willingness to step down as Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.

In a letter to former party president Rahul Gandhi, the senior leader offered to quit his post citing lack of support from the Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan.

Another reason that he is understood to have put out in the letter is his failing health.

Sudhakaran, the Kannur strongman and the arch-rival of the CPI-M led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is known for his razor sharp tongue. In the past few days, he has come under severe duress from his own party, especially the faction led by Satheesan.

On the occasion of Children's Day on Monday, Sudhakaran said that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had struck a truce with "communal fascists" for democracy's sake by agreeing to accommodate Jan Sangh founder and RSS leader Shyama Prasad Mukherjee in the Cabinet.

Also, on November 9, he said Congress workers had protected the RSS offices during his heyday at his home town-Kannur, when it came under duress from the Left forces.

On realising that it may spell trouble, he corrected and said it was a slip of his tongue, but a trail of emails from his party men by then had reached the AICC office in Delhi.

Sources close to Sudhakaran said it's been two days since he wrote to Gandhi and what's baffling is when the party has a full fledged elected president, what's the need for Sudhakaran to write to Gandhi.

The main reason why Sudhakaran has written to Gandhi is allies of the Congress party, including the Indian Union Muslim League, has expressed their ire about his utterances and his loose tongue.

Incidentally, in Kerala, never ever have the top leadership moved in unison as has been seen when it began with Karunakaran pitted against Antony, Oommen Chandy Vs Ramesh Chennithala and now with Sudhakaran and Satheesan taking cudgels against each other.

Only time will reveal the reason for Sudhakaran expressing his willingness to Gandhi and not to the newly elected national president Malikarjuna Kharge.