The BJP leadership is upset with economist and columnist Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar's column 'Swamispeak' in the edit page of the Economic Times' yesterday.


Aiyar wrote: "Manohar Parrikar,  Union defence minister and former Goa chief minister, will be in the running to become the next prime minister if Modi dies of a heart attack tomorrow. Parrikar has been a loyal RSS man all his life."


The party feels that Aiyar could have avoided writing this as it's in bad taste. The BJP felt that the author could have mentioned the political death of Modi but not a mortal death.


Aiyar has refused to apologise but the Economic Times has summararily edited that part from its web edition today.


BJP sources confirmed that the Economic Times management found that such personal remarks could have been avoided and is believed to have assured the BJP that the policy of the paper is not against PM Modi but against his style of functioning and they do not subscribe to the views expressed by the author. 


Read Aiyar's blog (edited) in the ET today.