Keen to build bridges with an angry Sangh Parivar, it was Bharatiya Janata Party president Lal Kishenchand Advani and not any pressure from the RSS, which forced the party's national secretary Sudheendra Kulkarni into resigning on Sunday in the wake of his remarks against the saffron brigade.

With pracharaks and VHP leaders apparently upset over Advani's controversial statements in Pakistan, the BJP chief was keen to send a message that he would not tolerate any public criticism of the parivar by any leader, howsoever close to him, party sources told PTI.

Advani was also keen to dispel the impression in Sangh Parivar circle that his office was behind the leakage and that he was "protecting" Kulkarni, the sources said.

Though, Sangh Parivar leaders were seething with anger over Kulkarni's letter "leaked" to the media on the eve of the RSS conclave, they chose not to exert any pressure and leave it to Advani to act, Sangh sources said.

The BJP sources said Advani was extremely upset with the leakage of the letter as it poured cold water on his recent attempts to patch up with the RSS.

"Advani was not happy with last month's leakage of Kulkarni's papers presented at the RSS chintan baithak in Bhopal earlier this year which favoured a pro-active policy to woo Muslims.

"But the leakage of Kulkarni's personal letter on the eve the crucial RSS meeting irked him no end," a senior leader said.