Is it true that Stalin offered to resign multiple times but his requests were rejected by the Communist Party?

by Moontouch
Patarknight

Stalin frequently offered to resign from his posts since the revolution. And they were rejected by the party. This is a fact.

However, the practicality of losing such a key individual in the earlier years of the USSR's consolidation and the stupidity of accepting such a request once Stalin held the reins of power probably prevented them from being accepted.

http://books.google.ca/books?id=T2-ExG-f1TkC&pg=PA262&lpg=PA262&dq=stalin+offered+to+resign&source=bl&ots=JDPtn2L6jA&sig=Sgie1XG0qAuz2yIXiE0sCGYL_8E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=oirSUvnMJOfgsASxmoHIDA&ved=0CFwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=stalin%20offered%20to%20resign&f=false