<p>Ram Jethmalani had failed to respond to a directive from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to explain his recent statements, leading to his expulsion, party vice president Smriti Irani said Tuesday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>"Jethmalani, upon being found to have indulged in indiscipline, was asked to explain himself. He failed to respond," Irani said, adding that this forced the party's parliamentary board to expel him.<br /><br />The BJP vice president was speaking to reporters here for the first time after she was appointed in-charge of Goa ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. <br /><br />Irani refuted allegations that the party was growing increasingly intolerant to internal dissent.<br /><br />"The BJP has had an environment of dialogue. It is a very democratic set up," she said while defending the party's decision to expel the Rajya Sabha MP from the party's primary membership for six years for "breach of discipline".<br /><br />A letter issued by the BJP to the octogenarian lawyer-politician said: "The central parliamentary board after considering all your replies, responses and letters was of the unanimous opinion that you have indulged in a breach of discipline. The parliamentary board, therefore, decided to expel you for a period of six years from the primary membership of the party." <br /><br />Jethmalani had earlier been suspended from the BJP last year for making "anti-party remarks".</p>
<p>Ram Jethmalani had failed to respond to a directive from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to explain his recent statements, leading to his expulsion, party vice president Smriti Irani said Tuesday. <br /><br /></p>.<p>"Jethmalani, upon being found to have indulged in indiscipline, was asked to explain himself. He failed to respond," Irani said, adding that this forced the party's parliamentary board to expel him.<br /><br />The BJP vice president was speaking to reporters here for the first time after she was appointed in-charge of Goa ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. <br /><br />Irani refuted allegations that the party was growing increasingly intolerant to internal dissent.<br /><br />"The BJP has had an environment of dialogue. It is a very democratic set up," she said while defending the party's decision to expel the Rajya Sabha MP from the party's primary membership for six years for "breach of discipline".<br /><br />A letter issued by the BJP to the octogenarian lawyer-politician said: "The central parliamentary board after considering all your replies, responses and letters was of the unanimous opinion that you have indulged in a breach of discipline. The parliamentary board, therefore, decided to expel you for a period of six years from the primary membership of the party." <br /><br />Jethmalani had earlier been suspended from the BJP last year for making "anti-party remarks".</p>