Sudheendra Kulkarni, once a powerful figure in the Bhartiya Janata Party, has now become an untouchable in the party circles.

So much so that the top brass of the party do not want to have anything to do with him either officially or privately.
Kulkarni was credited for having written party president Lal Kishenchand Advani's controversial speech, in which he described Mohammad Ali Jinnah as a secular leader.

The remark led to a furore in the party circles and prompted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K Sudarshan to hit out at Advani.

When some of the newsmen went to the BJP headquarters to get some copies of the Kulkarni's resignation letter, the party workers flatly refused to oblige the scribes. "We would do even your personal work and get photocopies done but not this letter," a party worker said politely.

The party leaders joked about Kulkarni. "When Advaniji was in trouble he wore a sling in the right hand while he was in Pakistan and told every one that he fell down and hurt right shoulder. When Advaniji came to Delhi the sling shifted to the left arm and when he withdrew his resignation the sling disappeared in no time," they said amidst laughter in their private conversations.

What is the party's view on the letter that he has written to the party president offering to resign?

"We know nothing about the letter," said an Advani aide.

Another leader said that he would willingly discuss anything under the sun but the achievements of Kulkarni. "Jab se Advaniji ke saath lege hain musibat hi musibat aa gayeen hain," he said.