The chief of Congress in Kerala, V M Sudheeran, today announced his decision to step down from the post, citing ill health.
The 69-year-old leader, known for taking firm stand on several issues which led to differences between him and senior party colleagues, said he was sending his resignation letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi today itself.
"My personal difficulties should not affect party work in any manner," Sudheeran, who was the choice of Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi for the post, told reporters here, announcing his sudden decision which took everyone by surprise.
He expressed hope that the AICC will make the necessary alternative arrangements.
A former Assembly Speaker and Health Minister, Sudheeran was appointed Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President in February 2014, replacing Ramesh Chennithala, who was inducted into the Oommen Chandy Cabinet.
Sudheeran had been keeping away from public functions due to ill health after he was recently injured while attending a function in Kozhikode.
"I am indebted to the party for having reposed faith in me," Sudheeran said, adding "there is nothing political" in his decision to quit.
"The decision is purely due to personal inconvenience ant the party's interests are of paramount importance," he said.
He thanked party workers for the cooperation they had extended to him.
Sudheeran had been instrumental in denying party tickets to several tainted persons in the 2016 assembly elections.
A proponent of prohibition, he had taken a firm stand against reopening over 700 closed Indian Made Foreign Liquor bars during the Oommen Chandy regime.
Chandy and Chennithala were reportedly miffed with Sudheeran over recent re-constitution of District Congress Committees in the state with Chandy even keeping away from various party functions.
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Meanwhile, Chandy told reporters in Kochi that he would not succeed Sudheeran as KPCC chief in the state.
Chandy said there was no change in his stated position that he would not accept any official position.
"I have already stated that I will not accept any official post. There is no change in my stand," the senior Congress leader said.
Asked whether he would accept the post if the high command insists on it, Chandy said he would not change his stand once he took a decision.
Chandy has been reluctant to accept any posts in the party following the Congress-led UDF government's defeat in the Assembly elections in 2016.
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Congress sources said that following the mishap, Sudheeran had suffered injuries in his ribs and doctors had advised him a travel ban of one to two months.
Meanwhile, Sudheeran's sudden decision to resign took various Congress leaders in the state by surprise.
Veteran congress leader, A K Antony, said Sudheeran's resignation was 'very unfortunate.'
"This is certaintly a big loss to Kerala congress", he told reporters in Delhi.
Opposition leader in the state assembly, Ramesh Chennithala said the decision was 'totally unexpected'.
He said Sudheeran had called him shortly before he spoke to the media and had informed that he would be resigning following health reasons.
UDF Chairman P P Thankachan said the decision was only following health reasons and not due to any other reasons.
