How Versova MLA Haroon Khan created history of sorts in Shiv Sena

Haroon Khan, the Shiv Sena MLA from Versova in Mumbai, has created a history of sorts. A senior Shiv Sena leader said the choice of Khan as their candidate from Versova, by over-riding the claims of party seniors like Raju Pednekar, Rajul Patel, Bala Ambekar and Yashodhar Phanse, was a strategic one. In their campaign, Shiv Sena leaders like MLC and local vibhag pramukh Anil Parab, who backed Khan, told Muslim voters that while the community had supported the MVA and the Thackeray Sena in the Lok Sabha, the party had responded by nominating a Muslim as their candidate. Khan claims that he stayed loyal to the party despite the inducements offered to switch sides along with his corporator wife after Shinde’s rebellion and split of the Shiv Sena in June 2022.