PM under pincer attack

Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh8212;out in the cold after the Volcker scandal five months ago8212;and facing the heat again, has struck back, rubbishing the UPA government8217;s policy on Nepal.

Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh8212;out in the cold after the Volcker scandal five months ago8212;and facing the heat again, has struck back, rubbishing the UPA government8217;s policy on Nepal. HRD Minister Arjun Singh, first on quotas and now on Narmada, is muddying the waters for the Prime Minister. Taken together, both indicate a growing feud within the Congress party reminiscent of the anti-Narasimha Rao revolt that led to the formation of the Congress Tiwari more than a decade ago.

Then, as now, the target was the Prime Minister. And many of the players back then8212;Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh, Mani Shankar Aiyar8212;are itching to play a stellar role.

Arjun Singh8217;s public stand on quotas in IITs and IIMs pre-empting a full-fledged discussion on the contentious issue within the government, Saifuddin Soz8217;s pro-NBA stance now fuelled by Arjun Singh8217;s call for an 8220;andolan8221; in the state, Mani Shankar Aiyar8217;s not-so-discreet criticism of the alleged 8216;8216;pro-US8217;8217; tilt, and now Natwar Singh8217;s public diatribe against the PM8217;s Nepal policy may seem to voice disparate concerns but form part of a coordinated chorus.

Natwar Singh8217;s praise for CPM leader Sitaram Yechury8217;s formula on Nepal is not a coincidence either. Members of the still amorphous caucus against the PM are keen to project themselves as 8216;8216;leftists8217;8217; as well as use the Left8217;s shoulder to fire at what they call Singh8217;s alleged departure from the Congress8217;s 8220;pro-people8221; and 8220;anti-imperialist8221; positions.

Natwar, who openly praised the Left after his fall from grace, today took on the PM who is in charge of the MEA portfolio. 8220;We have let the people of Nepal down, lost the goodwill of the seven parties, earned the annoyance of the Maoists and received no kudos from King Gyanendra,8221; he said in a statement.

8220;Our not so masterly inactivity for months in Nepal has not succeeded,8221; Natwar said today adding that Karan Singh, who met the King in Kathmandu last week as the PM8217;s special envoy, tried 8220;but it was too late.8221;

Natwar said the seven-point formula, suggested by Yechury, could be the base on which a coherent and concrete policy could firmly stand.

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This isn8217;t new. Last year, HRD minister Arjun Singh called for broader discussions on India8217;s engagement with the US and its Iran policy, effectively letting his opposition known. Aiyar, in his earlier job as Petroleum minister, encroached into MEA turf, pushing for the Iran gas pipeline and even opposing partial disinvestment.

This is part of the same group that played the 8220;secular8221; card in opposing Rao for his alleged failure to protect the Babri Masjid. Aiyar had called Rao 8220;BJP8217;s first PM;8221; Natwar and Arjun, along with M L Fotedar, built up a revolt in Congress.

This time, however, there is a difference. In their tussle with Rao, the Congress rebels had Sonia Gandhi8217;s tacit support. But today, Sonia8217;s confidence in Manmohan Singh is clear and the party spokesperson was quick to dismiss Natwar8217;s remark. 8220;Party supports the government on Nepal issue,8221; said Abhishek Singhvi. Still, party insiders are watching this group as it begins the first pincer movement against the Prime Minister.