Former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav no more

New Delhi, January 12

Former JD(U) president and ex-convener of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Sharad Yadav passed away at Fortis hospital in Gurugram on Thursday evening. He was 75.

Yadav was admitted in an unconscious and unresponsive state, the hospital said. “He underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Despite best efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 10.19 pm,” it said.

Yadav’s daughter Subhashini Yadav, a Congress leader, confirmed the news on Twitter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the condolences. “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,” the PM said.

Yadav was born on July 1, 1947, in Hoshangabad in Madhya Pradesh and went on to become a Lok Sabha member first from Jabalpur (MP), then Madhepura (Bihar) and later Badaun (UP). He was a seven-term Lok Sabha MP and a four-term Rajya Sabha MP, having served in public life for nearly 50 years after getting elected to the fifth Lok Sabha for the first time in 1974 from Jabalpur.

He was arrested under the controversial Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency.

In 1997, Yadav became the Janata Dal chief. The veteran later headed the JD(U), formed in 2003 with the merger of Samata Party and the Janata Dal faction headed by him. Between 2003 and 2016, Yadav remained the JD(U) chief.