'Tiger is alive', Scindia says after nine loyalists inducted into Cabinet

Hours after nine loyalists of BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia were inducted into the expanded Shivraj Singh Chouhan Cabinet in Madhya Pradesh, the Rajya Sabha member on Thursday (July 02) said “Tiger abhi zinda hai (The tiger is alive)”, adding that he would be on the frontline when there was a war, NDTV reported.

Addressing a press conference in Bhopal, Scindia said some people had been trying to tarnish his character for the past two months. “I want to tell them — tiger abhi zinda hai,” NDTV quoted him as saying. “It is our duty to fight against injustice. Even if it means war, then Jyotiraditya Scindia will be on the frontline,” he added.

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While answering to a question on the by-elections to 24 assembly constituencies that went vacant after 22 Congress legislators, supporting Scindia, rebelled against the Kamal Nath-led government in the state, he said the BJP was confident of winning all 24 seats. He added that Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had always believed in public service.

Earlier, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan expanded his Cabinet, inducting 28 new ministers, including nine loyalists of Scindia. Two of his supporters had already been inducted into the Cabinet. While 20 ministers are of Cabinet rank, the rest have been inducted as ministers of state.