New Delhi: Veteran politician and former JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav died on Thursday at a private hospital in Gurugram, family sources said. He was 75.
He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.
A statement from the Fortis Memorial Research Institute said Yadav was brought to the emergency ward 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,” the statement said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over Yadav’s demise.
“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,” he 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.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 12, 2023
Political leaders in Bihar, cutting across party lines also expressed grief over the demise of Yadav, who had adopted the state as his veritable “karmabhoomi”.
Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, with whose RJD the veteran socialist leader had merged his Loktantrik Janata Dal a couple of years ago, in a video message said on Twitter said it was a great loss for the socialist fraternity.
“It is a great loss for the socialist fraternity, coming close on the heels of the demise of Netaji (Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav),” he said.
आदरणीय अभिभावक शरद यादव जी को अश्रुपूर्ण भावभीनी श्रद्धांजलि। शत्-शत् नमन। pic.twitter.com/n1lDGQoFQ3
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) January 12, 2023
Notably, Sharad Yadav had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on an RJD ticket from Madhepura, a seat won by him four times. In the assembly poll a year later, his daughter Subhashini Yadav was the RJD candidate from Bihariganj.
A condolence message was also issued by former Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, a senior BJP leader who recalled the key role played by Yadav, then the NDA convenor, in his appointment to the post when the JD(U)-BJP combine came to power in Bihar in 2005.
“Sharad Yadav was my political guardian. He played an important role in my appointment as Deputy CM. Bihar will never forget his contributions,” tweeted Modi.
Notably, Yadav was said to have been ambivalent of the decision to snap ties with BJP in 2013, which he had to accede to as the then JD(U) national president upon the insistence of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party’s de facto leader.
Kumar’s decision to realign with the BJP four years later caused Yadav to revolt, resulting in the latter’s disqualification from the Rajya Sabha.
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Also read: Sharad Yadav: A socialist leader whose political journey saw turns, splits and alliances