Ex-Union Minister Sharad Yadav Dies at 75; Funeral at Ancestral Village in MP

Sharad Yadav.

(Photo: Twitter)

Former union minister Sharad Yadav passed away on the night of Thursday, 12 January, at a private hospital in Gurugram. The prominent socialist leader was 75.

Yadav's daughter Subhashini Yadav confirmed the news of his passing through a Facebook post.

According to a statement by Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, Yadav was brought in unconscious and unresponsive after he collapsed at his home in Delhi on Thursday. He didn't have a pulse or recordable blood pressure. It is learnt that Yadav was unwell for a while.

"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," the hospital statement read.

The last rites of Yadav will take place at his ancestral village in Madhya Pradesh's Narmadapuram district on Saturday, reported news agency PTI.

Who Was Sharad Yadav?

Yadav's entry into politics began as a student. He was part of the anti-Congress camp and was later involved in the JP movement. He served as a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in the late '90s and the VP Singh government in 1989.

Though he was a key Opposition leader when the Congress was in power, he reconciled with the party as well as his rival Lalu Prasad Yadav, leading to the formation of the Mahagathbandhan in 2015.

Yadav was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times and to the Rajya Sabha three times. He recently merged Loktrantik Janata Dal (LJD), a party he floated in 2018, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), saying it was the "first step towards a united opposition."

The mortal remains of Sharad Yadav at Chhatarpur in New Delhi.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi offers his condolences to Sharad Yadav's family, at Chhatarpur in New Delhi.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah pays homage to the mortal remains of Sharad Yadav, at Chhatarpur in New Delhi.

'Pained', 'Learnt a Lot From Him': Tributes Pour In

On learning of his passing, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted:

"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."

In a heartfelt tribute, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is undergoing treatment in Singapore, tweeted:

"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 the socialist and social justice stream. Brother Sharad... I didn't want to say goodbye like this. Soulful Tribute!"

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a statement to ANI, said he had "learnt a lot about politics from Sharad Yadav Ji."

"His passing away today has left me saddened. He shared a relationship of respect with my 'dadi'," Gandhi added.

"I am saddened by the news of the untimely demise of Mandal Messiah, senior leader of RJD, great socialist leader and my guardian respected Sharad Yadav ji. I am unable to say anything. Had a conversation with mother and brother Shantanu. In this hour of grief, the entire Samajwadi family is with the family members," tweeted Tejashwi Yadav, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

Expressing his condolences, former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and Telugu Desam Part leader N Chandrababu Naidu tweeted:

"Shattered to learn about the passing of Sharad Yadav Ji. One of the leading figures to have emerged from Lok Nayak Sri Jayaprakash Narayan's stream of socialism, he was a remarkable leader, ever humble and ever rooted to the ground."

Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also tweeted his condolences:

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Yadav's demise was an "irreparable damage to the country and the country's politics."

"Throughout his life, he raised issues related to backward and common people. May God give his family members, and supporters strength to bear this loss," he told ANI.

BJP national president JP Nadda paid tribute to Yadav, saying: "His death has left a void. He fought for social justice throughout his life. He was voice of poor & backward people, he was an inspiration to all of us."

(With inputs from PTI, ANI)