From his hospital bed, an emotional assurance comes from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi. It`s a last ditch effort to salvage lost ground over Sri Lanka, less than a week before elections in Tamil Nadu.
"I will take up the task of getting Eelam for the Tamils in Sri Lanka," Karunanidhi says.
It`s also being seen as one-upmanship because it comes barely a week after his arch rival J Jayalalithaa made this identical demand for Eelam or a separate homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
"If a Government supported by us comes at the Centre, we will strive for Eelam for Tamils in Sri Lanka," the AIADML general secretary had said.
The DMK has come under fire from the Opposition for not doing enough for the Lankan Tamils. Pressure that led to two resignation dramas by its MPs, a human chain and this recent fast by the party chief.
Congress leader Kapil Sibal had promptly called Jayalalithaa`s remarks on Tamil Eelam "anti national". But now his own ally is singing the same tune. The response of both Rahul Gandhi and the Prime Minister who will be campaigning in Tamil Nadu, to Karunanidhi`s latest move on Sri Lanka will be significant.
