Click to play videoNew Delhi: Natwar Singh may be feeling down, but he certainly doesn't consider himself out.
In fact, the people coming out in his support must have left Natwar Singh a little surprised.
Cutting across the political spectrum, Samajwadi Party, TDP, AIADMK, CPI and even the BJP have come out in his support, even though each of them has done so for different reasons.
And the only people missing in this crowd so far have been his own partymen.
"I am not fighting for Natwar Singh per se. I am fighting for the rights of Parliamentarians. The report was leaked from the Prime Minister's Office," Samajwadi Party General Secretary, Amar Singh said.
So for most of the new friends of Natwar Singh, the ultimate aim is to target Sonia Gandhi and the Prime Minister.
For his friends from the South, Natwar has given them a chance to settle political scores with the Finance Minister.
As for the BJP, the Pathak panel report could not have come at a better time. Cornered in the Rajya Sabha over the mole controversy, this issue has given the party enough ammunition to deflect some criticism.
"We stand by Natwar Singh. Justice Pathak is saying that it is only he who handed it over to the PM. Now, who else can be held liable for that?" questioned NDA leader, Digvijay Singh.
As for the Left, Natwar Singh has always been a favourite with them, so it was almost natural for them to rally around him.
And now along with their opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal, everything has just fitted in fine.
"What is the office that Natwar misused? It's not an office of Parliament. It's not an office of government. It's the office of the Congress Party," alleges CPM leader, Sitaram Yechuri.
In the last 24 hours, one the few remaining Congressman from the Nehru era has won many friends in the Opposition benches and in the process lost many more witin the Congress.
Natwar's own party colleagues are simply too confused.
"It was sad. It appeared to all of us, the Congress Members of Parliament, that Natwar crossed the Lakshman Rekha," said senior Congress leader and Union Minister of State for Commerce, Jairam Ramesh.
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