Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav passes away at 75

New Delhi, January 12, 2023

Former Union Minister and veteran socialist leader from Bihar Sharad Yadav passed away on late Thursday evening at the age of 75 after a prolonged illness.

His daughter Subhashini Yadav confirmed the news on social media. "Papa Ab Nahi Rahe," (Papa is no more) she said on Facebook.

Sharad Yadav was ill for a long time and was undergoing treatment in Fortis Hospital in Gurugram.

Yadav was one ofthe most respected socialist leaders of Bihar.

His Rajya Sabha tenure had ended in June 2022. After that he had vacated his 7, Tughlak Road bungalow and went to his daughter's house in Chattarpur locality of South Delhi.

Yadav was in recent times associated with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and had said that Tejashwi Yadav is the future leader of the party and Bihar.

He held several key posts in his political career including important portfolios in the Union Ministry in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between 1999 and 2004.

He joined the Janata Dal-United (JDU) and became its national president.

Yadav was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times in his political career including four times from Bihar's Madhepura constituency and twice from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh. He was also elected to the Lok Sabha once from Badaun in Uttar Pradesh. He was the first MP who was elected from three states.

The politics of Sharad Yadav was inspired by Jayaprakash Narayan, and Ram Manohar Lohia. He went to jail during the emergency in the country.

IANS