New Delhi: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad condoled the death of former Union minister Sharad Yadav as he asserted that mutual differences "never resulted in any type of bitterness". Prasad issued a video statement on Thursday from his hospital bed in Singapore where he is recuperating from a kidney transplant surgery.


"Just got the sad news of Sharadbhai's passing away in the night in Singapore. I feel very helpless. There was a meeting before coming and we had thought a lot in the context of socialist and social justice stream. Brother Sharad... I didn't want to say goodbye like this", Prasad wrote in Hindi, along with his video on Twitter.


Referring to Sharad Yadav as "bade bhai" (big brother), Lalu, who has engaged in electoral battles with him in the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat, recalled his old association with the deceased leader.






"He, besides late Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and myself learnt politics of socialism from Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur," said the septuagenarian.


"On many an occasion, Sharad Yadav and I fought with each other. But our disagreements never led to any bitterness," said the RJD supremo who had held out a helping hand to Yadav when the latter was struggling to come out of political wilderness.


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Sharad Yadav was forced out of the JD(U) which he once headed, following a tiff with the de facto leader, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Yadav then came up with Loktantrik Janata Dal. He 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. 


The 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.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday extended his condolences on the demise of Sharad Yadav.


"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," PM Modi wrote on his Twitter.


(With agency inputs)