New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS): Well known lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani Monday resigned from the national executive of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saying he deemed it morally inappropriate to serve in the party as long as Nitin Gadkari was president.

He, however, clarified that he would continue to serve the party as a member.

Jethmalani said in a letter to Gadkari: "I deem it morally, intellectually inappropriate to serve in BJP as long as you are the president."

He later told reporters that he was quitting the national executive due to corruption charges agaisnt Gadkari as well as his latest comments comparing the IQ of Dawood Ibrahim and Swami Vivekananda.

"As far as the reasons are concerned, first of all the controversies around Gadkari, I have not got a clear answer. So I have resigned on moral grounds, and secondly because of today's statement, comparing the IQ level of Vivekananda and Dawood," he said.

It was his personal opinion, he added, that Gadkari should not get a second term.

"I request the party leadership, resolve it as soon as possible. I am no one to say if he should get second term or not, but my personal view is he should not," he said.

Jethmalani is the son of party leader Ram Jethmalani.

Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy defended the party president, saying it was not appropriate to go to public with such comments.

"Some letter has been written by Mahesh Jethmalani which has gone to press before the party. Certain charges are there against Gadkari," Rudy said.

"The BJP president has said whatever issues have been risen should be probed. Making such statements in public will damage the party's image. If individuals start going to press, it is not in the best interest of the party," he added.

The charges against Gadkari include improper business dealings as chairman of the Purti Group and land grabbing.