Panaji/New Delhi, Sep 22 - Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar has likened party veteran L.K. Advani to ageing pickle and said his political innings were 'more or less over'. Most party leaders preferred to remain silent to the remarks.

Advani had only a couple of more years left in active politics, the former Goa chief minister told a local news channel Monday.

'Pickle tastes good when it is left to mature for a year. But when if you keep it for more than two years, it turns rancid... Advani-ji's period is more or less over. Another couple of years, maybe. But he should be around as a guide or a mentor for the party members,' Parrikar said.

However, Parrikar, currently leader of opposition in the Goa assembly, said Advani had been the best leader in the BJP in terms of integrity and character. 'I have great respect for Advani-ji on these counts,' he said.