Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav Passes Away At 75, Says Daughter

Sharad Yadav Demise: Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav passed away on Thursday.

Senior leader and former Union Minister Sharad Yadav ( Image Source :Getty Images )

Veteran socialist leader and former Union Minister Sharad Yadav passed away on Thursday at 75 years, his daughter Subhashini confirmed through a Facebook post. Subhashini Sharad Yadav confirmed the news on FB saying, "Papa nahi rahe (Papa is no more)."

The former minister's health had been deteriorating for the past few months and he was admitted to Gurugram's Fortis hospital.

"Sharad Yadav was brought to the emergency at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram in an unconscious and unresponsive state. On examination, he did not have any pulse or recordable blood pressure. He underwent CPR as per ACLS protocols. Despite best efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 10.19 pm. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to his family," Fortis said in a statement.

A founder-member of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal United, Yadav quit the party after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar joined hands with the BJP in 2017. Yadav then went on to launch the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) in May 2018 only to merge it with Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in March 2022. 

"Pained by the passing away of Shri Sharad Yadav Ji. In his long years in public life, he distinguished himself as MP and Minister. He was greatly inspired by Dr. Lohia's ideals. I will always cherish our interactions. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti," tweeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

READ | 'Pained By His Demise': PM Modi, Other Leaders Condole RJD Leader Sharad Yadav's Death

Political Journey Of Sharad Yadav

Sharad Yadav was born on July 1, 1947, in a farmer's family at Akhmau village in Hoshangabad district of Madhya Pradesh.

Yadav was an active youth leader and participated in a number of mass movements. He also played a significant role in the implementation of Mandal Commission recommendations. He had won the first Lok Sabha election from Jabalpur in 1974.

He has been elected to Lok Sabha seven times and to Rajya Sabha twice.

In 1989, Yadav successfully contested from Baduan (Uttar Pradesh) Lok Sabha constituency. Thereafter, he contested from Madhepura (Bihar) Lok Sabha constituency. 

Sharad Yadav held various portfolios in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2004. In 2003, Yadav became the president of the JD(U). 

After he was defeated in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections, Nitish Kumar helped him get a Rajya Sabha seat.

In 2009, Sharad Yadav was again elected to the Lok Sabha from Madhepura. But after the JD(U)'s defeat in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, Yadav's relations with Nitish Kumar started going downhill.

In the 2017 Bihar assembly polls, the JD(U)-RJD alliance secured victory and formed the government. However, Nitish realligned with the BJP and Sharad Yadav parted ways with the JD(U). 

He founded his own party, the Loktantarik Janata Dal (LJD) in 2018.

However, the LJD never fought any election, with Sharad himself contesting, unsuccessfully, from Madhepura in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections on the RJD ticket. In the 2020 Bihar Assembly polls, Sharad's daughter Suhashini Yadav contested unsuccessfully from Bihariganj seat as a Congress candidate.

In March 2022, Yadav announced the merger of LJD with the Rashtriya Janata Dal as part of his efforts to unite various offshoots of the erstwhile Janata Dal. It marked Yadav's coming together with Lalu Prasad after more than three decades.