Former External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh—out in the cold after the Volcker scandal five months ago—and facing the heat again, has struck back, rubbishing the UPA government’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 then—Arjun Singh, Natwar Singh, Mani Shankar Aiyar—are itching to play a stellar role.

Arjun Singh’s public stand on quotas in IITs and IIMs pre-empting a full-fledged discussion on the contentious issue within the government, Saifuddin Soz’s pro-NBA stance now fuelled by Arjun Singh’s call for an “andolan” in the state, Mani Shankar Aiyar’s not-so-discreet criticism of the alleged ‘‘pro-US’’ tilt, and now Natwar Singh’s public diatribe against the PM’s Nepal policy may seem to voice disparate concerns but form part of a coordinated chorus.

Natwar Singh’s praise for CPM leader Sitaram Yechury’s formula on Nepal is not a coincidence either. Members of the still amorphous caucus against the PM are keen to project themselves as ‘‘leftists’’ as well as use the Left’s shoulder to fire at what they call Singh’s alleged departure from the Congress’s “pro-people” and “anti-imperialist” 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. “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,” he said in a statement.

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

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

This isn’t new. Last year, HRD minister Arjun Singh called for broader discussions on India’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 “secular” card in opposing Rao for his alleged failure to protect the Babri Masjid. Aiyar had called Rao “BJP’s first PM;” 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 Gandhi’s tacit support. But today, Sonia’s confidence in Manmohan Singh is clear and the party spokesperson was quick to dismiss Natwar’s remark. “Party supports the government on Nepal issue,” said Abhishek Singhvi. Still, party insiders are watching this group as it begins the first pincer movement against the Prime Minister.