Chennai:
In an embarrassing statement for the Congress, LTTE chief Prabhakaran has praised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi as a Tamil nationalist and has welcomed his stand on the Lankan Tamils issue.
Karunanidhi is a key ally of the Congress-led central government but the party and the government consider the LTTE to be a terrorist organistion.
They hold Prabhakaran responsible for former prime minster Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.
",The government has to prove its stand on terror, be it SIMI or LTTE,", said Rajiv Pratap Rudy, leader, BJP.
Karunanidhi, a close ally of the Congress is distancing himself from the issue.
",Only the Centre has to comment on that. I have nothing to say,", said Karunanidhi.
Off the record some Congress leaders say the chief minister embarrassed them last year by writing a poem mourning the killing of LTTE leader Tamilselvan.
And now though the party is ruling out a rethink on LTTE, it doesn't want to antagonise Karunanidhi.
",Karunanidhi does not need certificate for being champion of the Tamil cause. For us, LTTE remains a terror outfit. There should not be any linkages between the statement and the humanitarian assistance,", said Abhishek Manu Singhvi, spokesperson, Congress.
Two bitter enemies, the congress and the LTTE are wooing Karunanidhi for their own reasons. While Karunandihi is known to have had a love-hate relationship with the LTTE, the Congress it seems will have to just lump it for now.