Maharashtra political crisis HIGHLIGHTS: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met NCP chief Sharad Pawar and expressed solidarity with the veteran leader who is battling a rebellion in the party led by nephew Ajit Pawar and trusted lieutenant Praful Patel. NCP working president Supriya Sule, senior leaders PC Chacko, Jitendra Awhad Narendra Verma and Sonia Duhan were present at the meeting with Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi is the first national leader to meet Pawar after Sunday's rebellion. Prominent opposition leaders such as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee among others had spoken to Pawar by phone and expressed their solidarity in the time of crisis. "Rahul Gandhi extended his support to Pawar saheb and resolved to fight BJP together," a senior NCP leader said. Earlier, Pawar chaired a meeting of the NCP Working Committee, which also passed a resolution asserting that it stood firmly with the united opposition and resolved to fight the BJP.