New Delhi: BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) today (Dec 13, 2004) sought to put a lid on the remarks by its TV actress-turned politician Smriti Irani whose flip-flop yesterday had caused the party immense embarrassment.

"The chapter is closed and everything is withdrawn," said party spokesman V K Malhotra on the episode, which had placed the party in an awkward situation.

Coming close on the heels of the Uma Bharti episode, the criticism of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi by Irani on his handling of the riots in the State and subsequent backtracking of her statement, had put the party leadership in an awkward position.

However, none of the leaders had made any comments on her remarks yesterday and today Malhotra's cryptic comment on the entire episode was "the chapter is closed. Everything is withdrawn."