Colombo: Sri Lanka's main Opposition People's Alliance (PA) on November 15 voiced alarm over the growing power of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) on the ground and at the negotiating table, and lashed out at the government for raising the group's stature in the eyes of the world by taking it to an aid-raising conference later this month.

"We are sliding into a situation where the LTTE is taking various steps in the North and east to set up a parallel government not responsible to the Central government.

"We feel it will lead to a separate state," former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar told reporters.

Kadirgamar, who is also President Chandrika Kumaratunga's adviser on international affairs, said, "We have come to the conclusion that the direction of the talks is right only for the LTTE."

The PA was disturbed by the impending accommodation of the LTTE on a level of parity with the government of Sri Lanka in this direction.

PTI