India, Feb. 8 -- Even as the Shiv Sena (UBT) scrambles to stem speculation that some of its MPs are considering switching to the Eknath Shinde camp, the movement has already begun at the local body level.

Leaders from the Shiv Sena (UBT) and even the Congress from districts such as Washim, Karanja, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Akola, and Bhiwandi joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, which is part of the ruling Mahayuti government, on Friday. This included the Akola district chief of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Vijay Malokar, who ditched Uddhav Thackeray's party after Shiv Sena MLA Bhavana Gawali convinced him to.

Other opposition leaders who joined the Shiv Sena included Dilip Bhojraj, state Congress secretary; Sachin Patil, Washim district general...