Panaji/New Delhi, Sep 22 - Former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has likened veteran leader L.K. Advani to ageing, rancid pickle, but the party said he was misquoted and misinterpreted.

Advani had only a couple of more years left in active politics, Parrikar, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, told a local news channel in Panaji Monday night. The details of the interview were made known outside Goa Tuesday.

'Pickle tastes good when it is left to mature for a year. But 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.

Party spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters in New Delhi: 'He (Parrikar) has called Advani-ji a respectable leader and a mentor and a guide. He also called Atal-ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) and Advani-ji two pillars (of the party).'

'Anything beyond this is a wrong interpretation, the interview was in Konkani language on a local channel and he was misquoted,' Rudy maintained.

Most party leaders but steered clear of the controversy and preferred to keep quiet. There was no word from Advani either.

One leader told IANS before disconnecting his phone: 'I have not spoken to you.' Several others feigned ignorance about Parrikar's comments.

Parrikar also said Advani had been the best leader in the BJP in terms of focus and character.