The BJP on Tuesday expelled its Rajya Sabha member Ram Jethmalani from the primary membership of the party for six years. Jethmalani is considered close to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, He was suspended in November last year for criticising the party leadership for opposing the appointment of Ranjit Sinha as CBI Director.
“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,” BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar wrote in a letter to Jethmalani.
This action against the 89-year-old lawyer turned politician came five months after he nearly got a reprieve from the BJP leadership in January this year. After an intervention by party veteran lK Advani, the then BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had given an assurance about considering revoking his suspension. After seeking Gadkari’s resignation, Jethmalani assured the BJP leadership that he would adhere to the party’s discipline and write to the party President expressing faith in the BJP’s ideology.
It was agreed that Jethmalani’s letter to Gadkari would be put before the Parliamentary Board in the very next meeting to consider revoking his suspension. However, when this did not happen, Jethmalani gate crashed at a meeting of the BJP parliamentary party on May 7 and accused the party top brass of being indecisive.
Jethmalani had in that meeting reportedly challenged the authority and legitimacy of the Party stating that it had no guts to take action against him. He even blamed the BJP leadership of not targeting the Congress.
Jethmalani had also defied a party whip on May 6 by not taking part in the election to the Parliament’s Committee on Public Undertaking (CoPU). The party is now expected to move the privileges committee to seek disqualification of Jethmalani under Tenth Schedule of the Constitution.